Praeterito Futurum
by Malfoy's Riddle
Summary: It's her last year at Hogwarts and Theato Riddle tries a new version of Apparition, only to have it go terribly wrong, throwing her forward in a future time paradox, pulling three boys with her. She lands in Amelia Malfoy's time and finds that the two of them have something very special in common. They have to battle through their seventh year together. FULL DESCRIPTION INSIDE.
1. Author Note and Full Summary

~A lovely little note from the author's; very useful, please read if you wish not to be confused or lost~

_Praeterito Futurum _means **Past's Future**. It is a play, like Malfoy's Riddle (our account name) is, since it combines Theato and Amelia's names. The genres for this story are** Adventure**, **Drama**, **Romance**, and **Angst**.

_**Emily + Sheri:**__ So, as you know, this is a collaboration work between two authors named Emily Wolff and Sheri May. Emily is writing the even chapters (2, 4, etc.) and chapters in Amelia/Aidian Malfoy's and/or Joss Potter's point of view, and Sheri will be writing the odd chapters(1, 3, etc.) and chapters in Theato/Emrys Riddle's and/or Caelum Longbottom's point of view. _

_What you need to know before you start reading the story (or else you might be very confused):_

_This story is a time paradox. Theato Riddle, daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and Tom Riddle, messes up a homemade apparation spell in an attempt to apparate to Hogsmeade to gain entrance to Hogwarts for her final year, her magic tearing a hole in her time and dragging her to the most stable time in an attempt to fix her mistake, catching three other wizards that were doing magic in the exact same place at the exact same moment during the exact same day of the exact same month (Caelum Longbottom, Jackson Wood and Malcolm Flint) and dragging them to the future with her. She appears in Hogsmeade, around four generations later, in Amelia Malfoy (daughter of Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy) and Joss Potter (son of Albus Potter)'s time. After Theato lands in Amelia Malfoy's time, she finds that the two of them have something very special in common, something that most would shun them for, that they previously thought they were alone in. They have to battle through their seventh year together, and things don't always go the way they plan, especially not friendship or school wise, or romance wise, for that matter._

_Essentially, it equals a very confusing, wibbly wobbly timeline._

_Yes, it sounds confusing, but trust us, we will explain it in detail during the story. Also, we included a character profile sheet of five of the main characters and two prologues, one in Amelia's point of view and one in Theato's, to help you understand (and because we wanted to write them)._

_Anyways, we sincerely hope you enjoy our story, and we would love any feedback and general comments. Those are always fun to read, and we will read each and every single one of them and answer as many as possible. _


	2. Main Character Profiles

_Post-Hogwarts Generations Profiles - Praeterito Futurum (Past's Future)_

_**Time Paradox for Future Descendants**_

_**Theato/ Emrys Riddle**_

Age: 17 (in her 7th year)

Gender: Female (with a male transfiguration - Emrys)

House: Slytherin

Descendant of: Tom Riddle and Bellatrix Lestrange

Favorite Class: Potions

Favorite Professor: Professor Draco Malfoy (Potions – head of Slytherin)

Patronus: White Peacock

Pet: A male barn own named Prince. Though the barn owl is a common, simple type of owl, hers is trained to understand what she says and is purely bred, and the shades of brown on its feathers fade from a dark to a light brown and white, giving it a distinctly beautiful pattern and look, making him unique. She loves him because he is a common type of owl, but extraordinary in looks and intelligence, and he reminds her of Tom and all of the stories she heard about her father and the memories in a pensive that she saw of him when he was in school, shown to her by her mother and her mother's friends.

Favorite Pass-time: She plays Quidditch (Beater for Slytherin's team, alongside Malcolm Flint), transfiguring into her alternate male form and messing with people's heads (namely, Caelum's), hanging out with her friends, antagonizing first and second years, reading, stealing gillyweed and swimming in the lake, and brewing Potions. Theato experiments with ingredients and creates new potions, oftentimes keeping them for herself.

Role Model: Her role model is Tom Riddle, back when he was human with dreams and a drive to complete them and make the world, in his mind, a better place.

Physical Appearance: Theato has dark brown hair that has natural streaks of black in it, wildly messy but beautiful (since both Tom and Bella's hair is messy but somehow gorgeous), bark brown eyes, and a tanned complexion; olive toned (she is a Lestrange). She is of medium height (maybe a bit on the tall side), and skinny-but-healthy (since both parents are insanely skinny and she has a quick metabolism). In her male form, she looks much the same except slightly paler and shorter, messier hair that is the same colour.

Personality: She is snarky and disdainful, mocking, and like a Slytherin sly and cunning, but she is a total jokester, always cracking inappropriate jokes, some rude, at the best and worst times, and needling under people's skin, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not. When angered or hurt, she tries to hide it, and never lets herself cry in front of others. She takes out her anger on others by making rude, obnoxious comments just to rile them up for an argument and a fight (like a true Slytherin).

Muggle Fashion Sense: She has a very similar fashion sense as Amelia, preferring jumpers and hoodies, but also liking her tight low cut t-shirts and leggings along with comfortable clothes that still look fashionable, presentable, like she came from good money, and are hot and form fitting. When in her male form, he likes to wear tight jeans and muscle shirts, hoodies, and jumpers, along with comfortable boots or shoes.

Hogwarts Fashion Sense: She likes short-sleeved Slytherin sweaters or any kind of top with short sleeves, and some with long sleeves, with the traditional Slytherin robe for chilly days, scandalously short uniform skirt, knee high black and green striped socks, traditional heeled witch boots. She carries her books around in a chocolate brown messenger bag, usually slung across her chest with the bag pressed against her back, hair down. When she is in her transfigured male body, he wears shirts that stop just above his elbow, with the traditional green trimming and Slytherin crest to the left of his heart, or long sleeved black or dark emerald green shirt and sweaters, with jeans or traditional Hogwarts uniform pants and normal shoes, and a Slytherin robe for when it is cold.

Love Interest: Caelum Longbottom – Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood's only child, male, named after a constellation. She hates to love him, and hates herself because she feels like she's letting her parents down, that Tom wouldn't have liked her stooping so low as a Hufflepuff, although Caelum is a pureblood, and he, as Voldemort, would certainly disapprove of her liking Caelum (though she doubts that Voldemort would have cared for her, even if he used to be Tom, her father, and that doubt tears at her heart). She knows Bellatrix would disown her for the mere fact that she likes Alice and Frank Longbottom's descendant, but she also knows that Bella, her mother who hid her away from Rodolphus and Tom, after Bellatrix realised that Voldemort wouldn't care for having a daughter, and others who would wish to harm Theato, and she taught her everything she knew, would also want Theato to get what she wanted, no matter who it is.

Friends: Her main friends are Amelia/Aidan (for some reason getting along despite different houses and different personalities), Jackson Wood (Gryffindor- son of Oliver Wood, though they pretend to hate each other), and the Slytherin gang (any other Slytherin descendants, including Marcus Flint's son, etc.)

Enemies: Anyone who pisses her off, anyone who tries to take her stuff or people she considers hers (possessiveness for owning people inherited from Tom Riddle since he was obsessively possessive), and Neville's son. Jackson Wood (Keeper for Gryffindor's Quidditch team) is considered her rival.

_**Amelia/ Aidian Malfoy **_

Age: 17

Gender: Female (with a male transfiguration- Aidian)

House: Ravenclaw

Descendant of: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy

Favorite Class: Defence Against the Dark Arts

Favorite Professor: Professor Neville Longbottom (Herbology)

Patronus: Baby Elephant

Pet: She has an owl, a snowy owl and it is as sweet as a Chocolate frog so she named her Candy.

Favorite Pass-time: She plays Quidditch (seeker for Ravenclaw's team), hanging out with her friends, and reading.

Role Model: Her role model is Hermione Granger, because she is an amazingly intelligent and cool woman.

Physical Appearance: Super light wavy long strawberry blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, relatively tall; taller than most of the other girls but not freakishly tall.

Personality: She is generally quiet but when around her friends she is a total goofball.

Muggle Fashion sense: prefers hoodies, sweaters, and leggings to actual clothes and sneakers and boots.

Fashion Hogwarts: Long sleeved Ravenclaw sweaters adorable uniform skirt knee high socks, combat boots, and her school robe.

Love Interest: Joss Potter (son of Albus Potter)

Friends: Her main friends are Maria Coblat (Hufflepuff), Corey Black (Slytherin), Casey Abbott (Gryffindor), and Thea/Emrys (Slytherin).

Enemies: She does not make enemies often.

_**Caelum Longbottom**_

Age: 17

Gender: Male

House: Hufflepuff

Descendant of: Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood

Favorite Class: History of Magic

Favorite Professor: Professor Hermione Granger (History of Magic)

Patronus: Phoenix

Pet: Caelum has a toad named George that he always loses, quite like his father.

Favorite Pass-time: He plays Quidditch (Seeker for Hufflepuff), reading, playing exploding Snap, hanging out with his friends, drawing, and sitting by the lake.

Role Model: His role model is Cedric Diggory, for standing up for what he believed in and dying for Harry Potter), and Severus Snape.

Physical Appearance: Caelum resembles his father through-and-through. He has brown hair and soft, deep, light brown eyes. He is pale, but not disgustingly so, more of cream skin, just like his father, and his cheeks have a habit of turning a soft pink when he gets embarrassed. He's ridiculously tall and skinny, over six feet, and gets clumsy when people remind him of his height, but when he isn't focused on it he moves as if he knows every part of his body perfectly.

Personality: When placed under the sorting hat at the sorting ceremony, the hat was stuck between sorting Caelum into Gryffindor and Hufflepuff because, as the hat said and as he has lived up to, he is incredibly loyal and brave when defending his friends and when he has a cause to fight for. He the kindest person ever, easily flustered, and doesn't mind a bit of joking but gets defensive quickly when the jokes turn more serious, barbed, or downright rude. Caelum hates people who prey on the weak, and therefore makes an effort to be polite and kind to all of the younger years of all of the houses, save Slytherin, whom he doesn't trust due to his father's past with Slytherins, and his own past involving Slytherins, Emrys (Theato's male form-though Caelum doesn't know this) to be exact, and his deeply rooted unease around Theato, which he conveys outwardly as hatred since he does not understand it.

_**Joss Potter**_

Age: 18

Gender: Male

House: Gryffindor

Descendant of: Albus Potter

Favorite Class: Defence Against the Dark Arts

Favorite Professor: Professor Draco Malfoy

Patronus: Tiger

Pet: Joss has a cat, a little black cat with white paws. It is very much like Joss himself, mischievous. He loves chasing Candy and his name is Scatter.

Favorite Pass-time: He plays Quidditch (Chaser for Gryffrlle's childlete them and make the world a better place fnger years of all of the houses, save Slytherin, whindor), and hanging out with Amelia and his other friends.

Role Model: Neville Longbottom (he is badass)

Physical Appearance: he has dark brown hair (not quite black, but close) and beautiful Potter green eyes. He is tall.

Personality: He is serious a lot of the time, but super mischievous when it comes to playing pranks.

_**Jackson Wood**_

Age: 18

Gender: Male

House: Gryffindor

Descendant of: Oliver Wood

Favorite Class: Charms

Favorite Professor: Professor Flitwick and Professor Hooch

Patronus: A lion.

Pet: He has a pet Screech own named Tolley.

Favorite Pass-time: He plays Quidditch (Keeper for the Gryffindor team), and he plays pranks, hangs out with friends, and likes studying.

Role Model: His role model is Oliver Wood, his father, for following his dream in Quidditch and coming to fight at the battle of Hogwarts.

Physical Appearance: He has dirty blond hair, lighter than his father's, and brown eyes. He is tall and skinny, but muscular and built well.

Personality: Jackson is very competitive and protective of his friends, but he breaks into smiles often despite his serious nature.


	3. Prologue - Amelia Malfoy

_Prologue-Amelia/Aidian Malfoy_

"Hopping Hippogriffs! Tomorrow is September first, and I cannot find half of my school books!" I exclaim, dramatically falling back on to my bed, as my friend Joss glances up from the floor. He shakes his head, and reaches under my bed, pulling out as pile of books. He tosses them up on the bed, one by one, and they land in a pile on my stomach, knocking the breath out of my lungs.

I sit up quickly, the books staying in place. Glancing down, I burst out laughing.

"Joss Potter, it is very rude to use magic on a lady." I scold him, grinning, and he throws a very sarcastic look my way.

"I'm not entirely sure you can be counted as a lady, Amelia."

I look at Joss, and am slightly put out. His emerald green eyes stare unflinching into my own blue grey ones, his dark brown fringe slightly obscuring one eye. He is so beautiful, and I have the biggest crush on him. And, to make it worse, I am positive he knows it, too.

Which just makes it all the worse.

I stand up hastily, my strawberry blonde hair obscuring my face.

"I'll... be right back." I murmur as I walk casually to my bathroom, trying not to let my thoughts take over.

As soon as the lock on the door clicks shut, I press my back slide to the ground. It was a mistake telling him about my… ability. Now, he will never see me the same way. He will never like me, because of what I can do.

I shake my head. No. This pity party must stop.

Standing up, I walk to the mirror. I stare into my own eyes as my features began to shift, my hair becoming shorter, my face becoming more masculine. I grow a few inches from my normal five foot nine to around six foot.

My clothes feel tight, uncomfortable on my new body, so I rummage through the clothes scattered on the ground, the things I normally tell people belong to my brother. Pulling off my old clothes and replacing them with baggier, less feminine clothes, I straighten up again.

The next time I look in the mirror, I am no longer Amelia.

A boy- no, a man- looks out of that mirror in the place where Amelia stood moments before.

My name is Aidian, and I am Amelia, and Amelia is me.

I shake my head and retrieve my wand from the pocket of Amelia's shorts. I unlock the door, and re-enter my bedroom.

Joss glances up from the Potions book left on the floor, and gives a start. He hadn't expected this. At least not now.

"Ame- I mean Aidian." I look at him, hurt in my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I know you only change like this when you're upset. When you feel like Amelia shows too much emotion, and you need to hide it. I'm sorry that I said you're not a lady. You are a lady, and that's one of the reasons I like you. Please change back."

I smile and pull Joss up into a tight hug. Joss wraps his arms around me as I shrink back into Amelia. Before, Joss and I had been the same height. Now, Amelia stands before him, a few inches shorter, and dressed in a guy's baggy hoodie and sweat pants, not quite as snug as they were on Aidian.

I glance up at him and smile. "Thank you for accepting it. It's not like I can change anything about it, even if you didn't. So it's great that you do."

Joss smiles and snags my wand out of the hoodie's pocket. "I do. Now pack, or I'm not giving you your wand back."

I look at him incredulously. "How in the world do you expect me to pack, without the use of my wand?"

He sticks my wand in his back pocket, and grins. "Pack like a Muggle-born. Without magic."

I burst into laughter. "No way in Godric's Hollow could you make me pack without magic. Not now, that it's actually legal for me to use it."

Joss shrugs, unmoved. "Unfortunately, I'm not giving you your wand back until you are fully packed."

I glare at him for a moment before grinning like a maniac and racing out of my room and down the stairs.

"Lia! Where are you going?" Joss shouts over the banister, leaning over to get a better view of me. I look up at him, wink and race to find my mother.

"Mom!" I exclaim gleefully. "May I borrow your wand for a moment?"

Rose Malfoy, formerly Weasley, glances up from her book.

"And why, may I ask, do you need my wand? Didn't I buy you your own, say, six years ago?"

I sigh and plop down on the floor in front of my mother. "Of course you did, Mother. But Joss is currently holding it hostage until I finish packing. How am I supposed to pack without my wand?"

Rose smiles at my exasperation, and noticing my clothes, the smile drops from her face. "Lia. Did... did you change recently?"

I look at my hoodie, and back at my mother. "Umm... No?" I answer, hoping it will work and Rose will not think I am lying.

Unfortunately, my mother knows me a little too well. She stands up and starts pacing around the room. "Amelia Malfoy. I thought you were controlling it. You said you hadn't changed in months. And that you had a hold on it. You said you weren't going to change again. You lied to me."

I stand, my hair slightly tangled at my shoulders. "Mom, it's who I am. I can't change that. It only makes it happen more often, the more you try and hold it back. None of the potions you made me worked, and I'm glad that they didn't. Aidian is a part of me, he is me. I like who I am, what I can do. It makes me special."

Rose shakes her head. "No. It makes you a freak."

I take a step back. "I can't believe you would say that. I'm your daughter. You can't say things like that to me. I'm not going to hold myself back because it makes you uncomfortable. This is who I am, and nothing you do or say can change that. Don't bother taking me to the train station tomorrow. I won't be here."

I spin on my heel, and stalk back up stairs. Joss sits on my bed, twirling my wand between his fingers. He jumps up when I enter the room, and I hold my hand out. "Give me my wand, Joss." He takes one look at my face and hesitantly places the wand in my hand.

I give it a small flick, and all of my things fly in a neat pile into my trunk. I snatch up my broom and look at Joss. "Where is Scatter? And Candy? We need to go."

Joss looks at me, confused. "I think they are in the garden. Chasing mice together or something. Where are we going?"

I grab Candy's cage and open my window. I shake the cage so the little bell inside rings, calling the owl. A faint hoot can be heard down below as a small white creature soars through the air and through the window.

Candy is a beautiful snowy owl, her wing tips a light golden brown, her yellow eyes intelligent. I rub the owl's cheek with my finger before opening the cage door. Candy nips at my finger affectionately before swooping into the cage and settling herself on her perch. I smile, and look back at Joss.

"Call Scatter. I want to leave."

Joss, still looking confused, pulls out his wand anyway. He twirls it a little circle and a padding of tiny paws can be heard on the stairs. A second later, Scatter, Joss' little kitten, bursts into the room, and leaps on Joss. He rubs the little cat's black head as its white paws knead his t-shirt.

"Okay. Everyone's here, now where are we going?"

I shake my head. "I don't know. Anywhere but here. Your house. The park. Platform nine and three quarters."

"Is the platform even open the night before? I've never heard of someone camping out to wait for the train. I want to try. But why are we going?"

I open my trunk and stick my broom in. "I'll tell you when we get out of here. I can't stand one more minute in this house. Do you have all your stuff?"

Joss nods as he gently places Scatter in his basket. "Yeah. Let's go."

We heft our trunks and pets and grip hands. I twist and with a sharp crack, we are gone.

We both gasp as our feet hit the ground. We landed outside Kings Cross Station.

"Weren't we supposed to apperate inside the station?" Joss asks, confused. I set Candy's cage on top of my trunk and walk towards the entrance.

"We should have. Maybe it's not open yet? Or maybe my disapperation was clumsy." I tug on the front door and sigh. I walk back over to Joss and he grabs my arm. Looking up, I see his concern plain on his face.

"What? What's that look for?"

"You have never been a clumsy dissapperater. You were the first in our year to learn how to, and you never even splinched yourself. What's going on, Lia?"

Sighing, I plunk down on my trunk and pull a knee up to my chest.

"My mom and I got into a fight. She's always tried to find ways to stop my ability. She hates that I'm like this. She's never accepted it. She saw my hoodie, and knew that I changed recently, and she was so mad."

Joss crouches down in front of me. "I didn't hear any shouting."

"You wouldn't of. When my mother is angry she gets scarily calm. She- she called me a freak. So I told her I was leaving."

"Lia... I'm so sorry."

I stand. "It doesn't matter. Let's just find a place to sleep."

"No. Amelia. It does matter."

I stop and turn to look at him as he catches up."Joss. Please. Just let it go."

I go back to the entrance and close my eyes. I step, turn, and with a crack I'm inside. I look back out, and see Joss standing by both of our trunks with his arms crossed. Cursing, I apparate back outside and walk over to him. "You are insufferable. Let's go inside. It's about to rain."

I grab my trunk and Candy, and disapparate.

I end up right beside the barrier to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Another crack and Joss is with me. We both stand staring at the barrier, neither of us willing to be the first to test it.

I turn to Joss. "Rock paper scissors."

He rolls his eyes. "You've been spending far too much time with Maria." He says. He brings his hands up anyways and I grin.

"Rock, paper, scissors..." We say in unison. "SHOOT!" We shout as our hands go out, mine forming paper and his forming scissors. Cursing, I turn to the barrier. I slowly walk towards the brick, glancing back at Joss every few steps. He's smirking, and it makes me want to curse him.

So I do.

While he's back there dancing from the jelly legs jinx I put on him, I hesitantly place my hand on the brick, gradually putting my body weight behind it. My hand sinks a couple inches, and I grin. I walk back to where Joss is on the ground, panting from the jinx, and grab my things. At the barrier, I lean against it casually, and look at Joss.

"Come on, you lazy bowtruckle. Get up."

Groaning, he raises himself to his elbows to look at me. "I'd be faster if you hadn't jinxed me."

I shrug. "What are friends for?"

"Companionship?" He grunts, as he picks up his trunk and Scatter's basket.

I laugh. "Oh, you are hilarious."

He glares at me and I giggle and push back and fall through the barrier.

I stumble and catch myself before I face plant on the pavement. I look around and it is dark. I pull out my wand and murmur "lumos." My wand tip alight I move slowly down the platform, looking at the beautiful scarlet steam engine. Joss comes sprinting through the gates a moment later and skids to a stop near me.

"So... are we just going to camp on the platform? Because I lack a blanket." Joss says, setting his things down and sitting on his trunk. I set mine down across from him and sit.

"You do realize we have this awesome thing called magic, right?" I say, twirling my wand. A blanket appears over both our heads and falls on us.

"And now, we sleep. We have four hours until it is daylight and people start arriving. Wake me up before then." I say, curling up under my half of the blanket, and falling asleep.

Seeming like only a couple of seconds later I am being shaken awake. I open my eyes, only to see bright green ones two inches from my face.

"Eek! Joss, could you possibly, I don't know, back up a few hundred feet?"

"Sorry." He retreats and I sit up, looking at my watch. Six thirty. Awesome. I look over at my trunk, and notice Candy isn't in her cage. Panic floods through me as I jump up and look around for her white plumage.

Joss notices my panic and walks over, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Amelia, it's okay. I sent Candy to take a message to my dad after you fell asleep. In case he called your house. She should be back soon."

I calm, nodding. I look around again, and notice a person farther down the platform. Nudging Joss with my elbow, I nod towards the person.

Joss grins and starts towards this person. Shocked, I grab him by the arm.

"What are you doing?" I whisper.

Joss looks back at me, confused. "Going to say hi to Professor Longbottom, what are you doing?"

I release him, and stare at the person. I start walking and Joss follows me.

"Professor?" I call, tentatively. The man turns and, indeed, it is Professor Neville Longbottom.

Laughing I run to him and give him a hug.

"Miss Malfoy! Mister Potter! Why are you two here so early? You are usually the last ones on the train." He laughs, hugging me back.

Shrugging, I say, "Well, maybe we wanted to get a head start on being the last. Like, by maybe shoving all our stuff in the best compartment so no one else can sit there."

Professor Longbottom shakes his head. "Go get your trunks and I'll show you the best compartment."

Grinning, Joss and I whip out our wands and summon our things.

Helping us haul our trunks onto the train, Neville walks down to the end of the last car. Sliding open the very last compartment, he steps in, sitting down on one of the benches, with Joss and I following.

"What's so special about this compartment, sir?" Joss asks.

The professor glances up at us from the bench, and smiles. "This is the compartment where James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew sat their last year at Hogwarts. The compartment my friends and I sat in fifth year, when I met my wife. You can still see some of the Stinksap stains on the walls that even Scourify couldn't get off. And the compartment both your fathers and mothers sat in on their way to their first year. So this is the greatest compartment on this train. It's your seventh year. Fill it with friends and memories."

"Thanks Professor. This is amazing." I say, sitting next to him as Joss levitates our trunks into the overhead rack.

"By the way, where are your parents? Joss, I was hoping to see Albus today. I didn't notice them on the platform. Are they here? And you, Amelia. Where are Rose and Scorpious?"

I glance at Joss urgently, and he immediately starts talking.

"I'm sure dad will be here soon, after all, he has to bring Minney."

"Right. Your sister, off to her second year at Hogwarts. I hope her second year isn't as eventful as mine." Professor Longbottom chuckles, shaking his head in amusement.

We both smile, and I say, "Well, we should go wait for our friends, they should be here soon."

"Alright. Try not to get run over by the train now."

Joss laughes. "Will do, Professor."

We all climb off the train, and Neville waves goodbye. We wave back, and he dissapparates.

"That was close. What do you think he would have done, if he knew I ran away?" I ask Joss, still looking at the place our professor had just stood.

"He couldn't really do anything. I mean, Amelia, you ran away to school."

We look at each other and burst into laughter and don't stop until someone taps me on the shoulder.

Gasping for air, I turn, and find Albus Potter standing in front of me.

Gasping for an entirely different reason, I stammer, "Mr. Potter! Hello, hi, how are you? Oh, look at my watch, it's ten thirty! I should get on the train."

I turn and run back up the steps of the train, abandoning Joss to his father.

I open the door to our compartment and plop down by the window. I look down at Joss, and he is just standing there, head down, as his father scolds him for running away. I feel horrible. This is my fault.

Suddenly, Albus says something, and Joss' head snaps up and now he is speaking rapidly to his father. His father opens his mouth to reply and Joss shakes his head and climbs on the train.

I continue looking out the window as Joss sits down across from me.

"Amelia."

I really wish he wouldn't do that.

I shake my head.

He sighs as the door opens and our friends Casey, Maria, and Caleb walk in.

I continue staring out the window for the duration of the train ride, not listening to the friendly chatter of my friend, not even looking up when the candy trolley passes by. The only time I actually move is when the train whistle sounds, informing us we have five minutes until we stop at Hogsmeade station. I reach up for my trunk and pull out my robes. Tugging them over my head, I sit back down.

The train slows, and we stop. Everyone but Joss rushes out of the compartment. I grab my trunk, and Candy's cage and am about to follow when Joss grabs my arm.

"Are you okay?"

I smile, a genuine smile. "Yeah. Moping isn't going to do me any good. I just have to move past it."

He smiles back at me. "Good."

We both hop off the train on to the platform in Hogsmeade and notice a commotion in the square, a circle of people blocking our view.

I look at Joss and bite my lip.

Joss shakes his head, glancing at the commotion before smirking. "Damn you and your Ravenclaw curiosity. And damn me for my sense of adventure. If this gets us in trouble I'm blaming you, Malfoy."

I grin, and dropping my trunk I race toward the crowd in Hogsmeade square, Joss hard at my heels. My combat boots pound against the pavement and step on many of the toes of onlookers as I push my way to the center of the crowd.

Four teenagers, around my age, stand in a huddle in the center of a giant circle of people. I noticed a few Aurors step from the crowd, wands drawn and gasp.

I run towards the kids, Joss trying to grab my arm and pull me back, but I just drag him with me.

The closer I get, the more I notice about the kids. There is three boys and a girl. The girl is gorgeous, with wildly beautiful brown hair with streaks of black. She is tall too, rivaling me in height, and looks positively furious, bristling with indignation. The boys... they look familiar. One of them looks like he could be a young Neville Longbottom. Another looks like that famous Quidditch Keeper… what's his name? Oh! Oliver Wood. And the other just looks... weird, with messed up teeth and dark, unruly hair.

The Aurors are still advancing, that is until I step in front of the kids, facing the head Auror, Joss' grandfather.

"Are you kidding? What the hell do you think you are doing?" I shout.


	4. Prologue - Theato Riddle

_**Praeterito Futurum**_

_Prologue-Theato/Emrys Riddle_

"Theato Emrys Lestrange Riddle, you get that owl off of my dining table this instant!" My mother shrieks through the house, startling the barn owl perched on the edge of the table into the air for a moment before he settles down once more. I stroke his feathers comfortingly.

"What are you going to do about it if I don't, Mum? Hex me?" I yell back, barely able to contain my smirk as my mother stomps into the room, something clutched behind her back, her hair a wild mess, exactly like mine. Unlike me, though, she snarls at the sight of the owl on the table, not a bit amused.

"I might very well, young woman" Bellatrix's voice is cold and hard, but a glimmer of amusement starts shining in her eyes as she stalks around the table, towards the living room that I have my back to. It is never a good idea to turn your back on my mother, but if I turn around now, she will know that I am taking her threat seriously.

"But Prince is tired and needs somewhere to rest" I sing, continuing to stroke the owl's feathers. Prince coos softly, nuzzling his beautiful brown head into my hand before screeching in surprise and taking off. It only takes a moment for my confusion to set in before the stinging jinx hits my behind. Squeaking as I jump around, staring at Bellatrix in surprise as the pain flares up along my skin before quickly disappearing. "You shot a jinx at me!"

"You can't say that I didn't warn you, darling" Bellatrix sings, dancing out of the way of my stinging jinx before holding up the object she had hidden behind her back. "I brought Prince's cage down. He is the only thing not packed, right?"

Whistling, I call my own and Prince swoops down obediently, straight into the open cage in my mother's hands, hooting happily. "Of course, other than my Quidditch gear."

Bellatrix levitates Prince's cage before muttering something and sending the cage out of the room, presumably to the front hall with the rest of my already packed things. "Good. We can pack the rest of that quickly then have the next hour to say goodbye, and-"

"Mum, relax" I interrupt her, feeling tears build in my eyes as I listen to her ramble. She is scared of losing me. She's scared of me getting hurt and her not being there to save me. She's scared of someone learning who my father is and killing me for it. And it hurts me that she fears so much for me, that she falls apart every time I have to leave. I think that if I were to leave for good, or if I were to go missing, that she'd go mad. I don't want to cause her such worry, not her. She has done everything for me, given up everything. She gave up a happy marriage for me; choosing to live with an ill tempered Rudolphus just to keep me when she could have given me to her sister and had a happy life. She gave up her front-line fighting position for the Dark Lord just to make sure she'd be home for every meal with me on holiday's. All I can do is be the best daughter I can be. "Take a deep breath. My Quidditch gear will take me less than five minutes to pack. I can do that before I leave." Walking up to her, I chew on my lower lip and smile shyly, placing my hands on her shoulders and leaning in. "Let's spend the rest of the time together, ok?"

She nods, sending hair falling into her face. Reaching up, she brushes it over her shoulders before placing her hands over mine and smiling tiredly, her dark eyes sad and lonely. "Sorry, sweetheart. Let's move into the living room and I'll have the house elf make us some hot chocolate."

"That sounds positively wonderful, Mum." The bright, grateful look she gives me is worth every pain that shoots through my chest as I imagine how lonely she will be while I am at Hogwarts. She turns swiftly, cloak brushing over my boots as she heads down the hall, towards the kitchens. Smiling to myself, I slip out into the hall, shooting Prince in his cage at the end of the entrance hall a look before heading towards my favorite room of the mansion, other than the potion's lab. Our living room is dark, sure, the walls painted a dark grey, and the furniture is all black, and the rugs are as well, like a classic Lestrange house, but there is a stone fireplace that lights up the whole room, and it is by far my favorite thing in the house.

"Incendio" I whisper, watching a jet of fire shoot out of the end of my wand, lighting the logs in the fireplace with a roaring warm fire. Smiling to myself, I slip my walnut wand back into the pocket of my jeans.

"It does me good to see that fireplace being used," Bella sighs as she comes into the room carrying two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, "whenever you are gone Rudolphus refuses to let me light it."

Smiling back at her, I take the mug offered and place it on the mantle, fingers burning from the brief contact with the scalding cup. "Let me guess, he says that it creates too much of a mess?"

"Something along those lines" she mutters, grinning back and setting her cup beside mine. Reaching towards me, she takes my hand and rubs her thumb across the top thoughtfully.

"He does know that he can just banish the dust with a wave of his wand?" I can't help the jib at my mother's husband. He has never been a father to me. He is not good enough to be my father, and he knows it, so he shuns me, despite knowing who my real father is. He is scared of anyone stronger than him. Focusing on my hand in hers, I squeeze and twine out fingers together, closing my eyes and letting her warmth calm me. I could never tell her, but I hate leaving her as much as she hates me leaving. She's lonely, and the only friends I have stand by my side because of loyalty to my power, and even them I had to win by climbing my way up the Slytherin hierarchy. There is just something about my mother, some kind of bond that we have, that makes me only comfortable around her. None of the other death eaters or their children have ever gotten along with me, except Abraxas Malfoy. Abraxas Malfoy has to be my only friend, and the only reason we got along at first is because he loves potions just as much as I do. He is also my only friend that Bella approves of.

Bella snorts, shaking more hair over her shoulders as she yanks me forward, pulling me into a tight hug, hands pressing into my lower back. She trembles against me. "He does not think enough to realize that."

Wrapping my arms around her neck, I pull her closer and bury my head in her neck, trying to not giggle as her hair tickles my cheeks. "If you hold no love for him why did you marry him?"

"It was an arranged marriage, like most pure-blood marriages are." She pats my head before pulling away and giving me her trademark smile, part glee mixed with madness and happiness.

Our house elf, Binie, chooses that moment to apparate into the room, her huge eyes wide and fearful. "Mistresses Bella and Thea haves a visitor. Scary Lord is backs" she yelps, glancing over her shoulder once and shuddering before disapparating, leaving the room silent, all tranquility gone with her message.

Bellatrix spins to face me, terror contorting her face as she grabs at me, trying to shove me out of the room. "Theato-"

The change happens quicker than I can blink, responding to the terror on her face along with the fear paralyzing my own heart and body to the spot. As soon as the idea of transforming enters my mind, my body follows it through. My hair shortens until it curls around my ears, body stretching a few inches taller as the rest of the effects take over, transforming me into Emrys. Snatching the nearest stack of parchment and a quill, I conjure a clipboard and shove them in, dancing out of her grip and pretending not to notice the dark shadow as it looms in the doorway. "Is your husband allergic to any of the common potions ingredients, Mrs. Lestrange?"

My mother straightens up, catching on to my façade and raising her chin in contemplation. The relief, however marred by her anger, is evident in her eyes as she appraises me, pressing her lips together. "He is impartial to bat spleen, boy, so it is best not to use it."

Scratching the orders onto my parchment, I glance at my reflection in the mirror above the fireplace, making sure I am, after all, completely Emrys, and Theato doesn't show through. The boy in the mirror stares back at me, brown eyes slowly calming down as they take in their reflection, and the resemblance hits me as I spot the shadow lurking over my shoulder. I look exactly as my father did when he was in his seventh year. I wonder if he will notice. "Is that all, Mrs.-" Turning, my eyes widen as I take in Tom Riddle, faking my surprise, clipboard dropping from my hands to clunk loudly on the ground. "Oh, my Lord! Forgive me for my lack of respect; I wasn't aware of your presence."

Tom Riddle's eyebrows rise in amusement and he glances at Bellatrix before taking a step towards me, leaning down gracefully to pick up my clipboard. "It is fine, child. What is your name?"

"Emrys, sir, Emrys… Black" I murmur, glazing at him under lowered lashes as he straightens up, offering me the clipboard. Slowly reaching forward, I take it and clutch it to my chest, trying, irrationally, to hide my pounding heart. "Potionmaster's apprentice, apprenticing to Nicholas Thonen Burkenhart, sir."

"Emrys mean immortal, does it not?" He nods to himself, not waiting for an answer as he leans closer, pinning me in place with his red eyes. Curiosity burns there, along with a cold, sharp intelligence. "A fine name. And a Black, you say, apprenticed to Burkenhart?"

"Yes sir" I answer, voice shaking as he leans closer to study me, eyes narrowing. I knew it. I knew he would recognize me. Even though I look more alike him in my male form, I thought he would be less likely to recognize me since my magical signature is slightly different. If I were Theato, he would recognize my magical signature right away, along with my looks.

"He is here on my orders, my Lord. I hired him to create a potion specifically to control Rudolphus's temper. It has been particularly bad lately" Bellatrix cuts in, simpering and coming up to place a hand on my shoulder before dropping into a bow and dragging me down with her. "Bow, child." She hisses, tightening her grip on my shoulder until her nails dig in, letting me know just how much she likes this plan of mine.

Tom's cool hand clasps my arm and drags me back up. He glances at my mother, an unknown emotions passing over his face before he controls it and motions for her to stand as well. The clipboard clatters to the ground again, forgotten. "You chose well, my dear Bella. Can you be trusted, Emrys Black?"

"I would hope so, my Lord" I answer honestly, feeling my cheeks heat up under his gaze as I glance down at his hand, pale on my arm. Does he do it on purpose? I wonder if he knows how much he affects people. Tom smirks, amused by me, and glances at my mother for confirmation.

"I would trust him with my life, my Lord."

"Then he can be trusted. Come, Emrys, sit next to me." Without waiting for an answer, the charismatic dark lord drags me to the couch, depositing me in a heap on one half while he folds himself gracefully on the other, looking back at Bellatrix and gesturing to the chaise. "As interesting as you are, Emrys Black, I did not visit Bellatrix to talk about you."

"My Lord, I said that he could be trusted, but I do not think it wise to trust him with… sensitive subjects" Bellatrix interjects, glaring at me with a silent message. I have had my fun, now it is time to run along. "He must finish Rudolphus's potion."

Tom dismisses her comment with a lazy wave of his hand, wrapping his other arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. "Nonsense. Being brought into my graces is much more interesting than creating a silly potion. Am I correct, Emrys?"

There is no correct answer for his question. He is toying with me. Mother warned me about his mind games, about his obsession with playing with the whims of the mind, but I never thought once that he would try to use them on me if he ever met me. It is a great honor to be considered important enough for him to take an interest in me. He may never know that I am his daughter, or, his son at the moment, but the simple fact that he is interested in me without knowing is enough to send my heart flying. I am living up to him; to the expectations he would have if he knew about me. He really is amazing. Mother's dirty look, shot safely from behind her curtain of messy hair, gives me my answer. "I regret to turn down your offer, my Lord, but I must finish Mrs. Lestrange's potion then be off to finish packing for Hogwarts."

Tom's arm tightens around my shoulder for a moment, caging me against his side, before he relents and drops his arm in favor of brushing rogue strands of brown hair out of my eyes. "What year are you in?"

"My last." The truth slips out before I can stop it and Bellatrix shoots me a warning look. Lowering my gaze, I stand up and shove my hands in my pockets to hide the excited trembling. "Now, if you will please excuse me." Bowing, I hurry from the room, heart slamming against my ribcage as my wand heats up in my pocket, reflecting my rising emotions. Gods, I am so lucky that Mother didn't make me hide this time. I would give the rest of my life just for him to know about me, to accept me as his daughter. I would murder all of the muggles in the world for him to be my father, properly in word.

"Emrys." His voice halts my retreat, causing me to slowly turn around. Tom gives me a funny look, something torn between remembering and forgetting, and he stands in one fluid motion. Holding a hand out to stop Bellatrix from following him, he glides towards me, black robes licking his heels as he walks. "Your last year at Hogwarts will be your hardest, Emrys Black. A token, to help you keep your focus" he murmurs, taking my hand. He bows his head ever so slightly over our clasped hands, slipping something into my palm before ducking down. His breath ghosts my ear as he squeezes my hand, whispering his last words, lips brushing against my skin. "Perhaps you are accepted more than you think, Emrys Black."

Jolting back, I barely see the satisfied gleam in his eyes as he watches me sort through his words. How could he know? I never said it aloud, Mother never hinted at it, and I have not given him a reason to doubt my story. As far as I know, he didn't even know that Bellatrix was pregnant. He must be a legilimens. Bloody hell. Then he would know every thought that has gone through my head since he decided to pay attention to me.

Pride lights up Tom's red eyes, telling me that my assumption is correct, and he straightens up, clasping his hands behind his back. "As I said, Emrys, your last year will be the most challenging. I wish you luck." Without a second look at me he turns around and walks back into the living room, low voice answering Bellatrix's unspoken question, too low for me to understand.

Numbness takes over for the barest of moments as I walk down the hall, footsteps echoing off the walls. Prince hoots curiously, picking up on the lack of reaction from me, and I wave a hand to reassure the owl before climbing the staircase and entering the second door down the halls. Once the door to my room is closed, I drop the uneven numbness and crack up, clapping my hands together and grabbing my wand out of my pocket. "Muffliato." The silencing spell falls around my room, and dropping my wand onto my bed, I grin. Pain flashes through me as my body transforms back into its female form, hair growing longer and messy, much like my mother's.

"He knows about me and he accepts me!" I sing, dancing around my room as all of the emotions I overlooked earlier rush through me in a euphoria of pleasure. "I am Tom Riddle's daughter! Daughter of the Dark Lord, daughter of Voldemort!" Giggling, I spin around, barely able to stop before my knees knock against the edge of my bed, sending my body tumbling onto the mattress. Grabbing my wand, I wave it in the general direction of my Quidditch gear before pointing at my trunk. My gear flies into my trunk, broom shrinking to fit, and my trunk slams shut, magically locking itself for the journey to Hogwarts. I have a feeling this year will be leagues better than the last six. This year I know my father accepts me, this year I will prove to him that I am worth claiming, that I am just as powerful as he, the perfect daughter.

A loud beeping sound jars me out of my high. Glancing at the clock, I nearly swear as I jump off my bed, noticing the darkening skies outside, racing to my dresser and pulling my first day school outfit out. Dropping my jeans and hoodie, I pull on my school skirt, barely covering my upper thighs, and my crisp white button up shirt and silver-green vest on top of it, slipping my Slytherin robes over it. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I levitate my trunk and undo the silencing spell on my room, floating my trunk behind me as I make my way back down into the entrance hall, expecting my mother waiting by Prince. Other than the owl and his cage, the hall is deserted. She wouldn't miss sending me off to my last year, especially since I am using my own apparation spell. I have never actually tested it out before, not that I'd tell Mother, but the math behind it is logical. It should take me to Hogsmeade without the pain, the possibility of splinching myself, losing any of my luggage, or any other nasty side effects.

The door to the living room is shut, with a silencing spell placed over it. A meeting with the Dark Lord, uninterruptible even for Bellatrix. Something heavy settles over my heart but I shake it off, turning away from the door while grabbing Prince's cage. Mum is busy with my father, and if she cannot make it to say goodbye before I leave, then she can't. I'll send her a letter as soon as I settle into my dorm at Hogwarts.

Taking one last look around the manor that is my home, I smile slightly before pushing the door open and stepping out into the softly falling rain, shutting the door behind me and placing my trunk and owl cage behind me. Wrapping my cloak tighter around my shivering frame, I slip my wand into my cloak pocket and close my eyes, clearing my mind. Feeling for my magic, I pull on it and replicate the effect of apparation, along with throwing in an incantation of my own. "Erat tempus, cum periculum non."

The familiar tug of apparation hits my gut, followed by something far more painful, tearing that tugging sensation up my navel and through my chest, slamming into my head with a painfully strong force. Vomit forces its way up my throat, splattering across the grass of the manor before everything blurs and fades into darkness, a violent tornado of wind tearing at my cloak as something slams into my left side and suddenly my feet hit earth, darkness flashing to the familiar view of Hogsmeade. The pain in my side squeaks in terror and pulls away, drawing my attention towards it. Through my spinning head and the turmoil in my stomach it takes me a moment to recognize the retreating figure as a boy with messy brown hair and striking brown eyes, eyes clouded with pain and fear. Why was he standing so close to where I apparated to? Who the bloody hell is he, and why the bloody hell is he looking at me like that?

Before I can voice my questions, another voice interrupts me.

"Bloody hell, what was that?" The male groan comes from my left, drawing my gaze over to two boys, one with dirty blond hair and one with black hair, both kneeling over trying to catch their breaths. It is the boy with the dirty blond hair that finally straightens up, patting the back of the black haired boy next to him before gazing at me confused and looking at the terrified boy behind me. "Flint, Longbottom, you guys ok?"

"J-Jackson" the boy behind me murmurs, voice barely comprehensible through his trembling. "Sh-she…" I can feel his terrified gaze on me, though I keep my own eyes on the boy who spoke. I have never seen any of them before, though they look my age. How is that possible?

"Who are you?" My voice cuts the evening air like ice, drawing the attention of the village. Those who weren't already watching us are now paying close attention, and the familiar flash of Auror robes is visible through the growing crowd. What the hell?

"Jackson Wood, and yourself?" The dirty blond haired boy straightens up, obviously a Gryffindor both by his attitude and his robes, and glares at me with something keenly like distrust. "What happened?"

"What do you mean, what happened?" Arching an eyebrow, I cross my arms across my chest, glancing around. My trunk and Prince's cage lie a few feet away, along with three other trunks and animals. At least my stuff came intact. One part of the spell worked correctly. Glancing around at the village I landed in, I can't say the same for the rest of the spell. Hogsmeade looks almost exactly like it did last year, except, well, newer. There are different stores, the people walking around are strangers dressed in a different fashion. It is so eerily similar but so different at the same time.

"We," Jackson Wood glances at the other two boys, making it perfectly obvious that the three boys were not near each other, but in the same general area, "were just about to get into the carriages to head to Hogwarts, and all of the sudden we were apparated here. Did you cause this?"

"No. How could I have possibly…" The words die in my throat as my incantation comes back to me. Erat tempus, cum periculum non. I thought it was specific, but maybe not specific enough. Maybe… maybe my magic read it as something else, and connected me to the strongest source of magic near it. Maybe the use of so much magic tore a hole through my time. What the hell have I done? "Well, shag me until I am blue. What year is this?"

Before Jackson Wood can answer me, the group of Aurors burst to the front of the crowd, breaking through the circle and pointing their wards at us. One steps forward, wand pointed directly at me as his eyes glance at my three companions, emotions flitting over his face faster than I can read. "Jackson, Caelum, and… Malcolm Flint? You guys are... you are supposed to be older…" The words stop in the Auror's throat as his gaze lands on me, his eyes hardening behind his glasses. The scar across his forehead bothers me, but not nearly as much as his messy black hair does. Does he never brush it?

Jackson is the only one who turns to look at the Auror, eyebrows arching in confusion before his mouth drops open in surprise. "Harry Potter? But… you… you were younger…" He shakes his head, taking a step towards the black haired boy and slipping a hand into his. His eyes meet the black haired boy's, pleading for something solid. "Malcolm?"

Malcolm shakes his head, pressing his lips together in a fine line while looking between Harry Potter and myself. "I don't know, Jackson" he whispers, crooked teeth catching on his lower lip before he shuts his mouth again. The crowd surrounding us start to whisper, pointing at each individual one of us, whispering the names of my three other companions. Not once do I hear my name mentioned. Anger flashes red hot through my veins, making my fists clench at my sides. How far into the future did I throw myself? How could I mess up this badly?

"Are you kidding? What the hell do you think you are doing?" A girl shouts, forcing her way to the front of the crowd, dragging a boy who very much looks like a younger version of the Auror Harry Potter along behind her.

"Amelia?" Harry Potter 's eyebrows shoot up in surprise but he doesn't lower his wand. He glances at the boy behind Amelia, shaking his head. "Joss, get Amelia out of here. She could be dangerous."

"Excuse me? I am right here, Auror Harry Potter" I hiss, narrowing my eyes on him as my anger flares up again, magic crackling against my skin. Before the girl, Amelia, can jump to my rescue, I step forward, drawing my wand and pointing it at Auror Harry Potter. "I am Theato Riddle, daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and Tom Marvolo Riddle, and I demand to know what is going on."

Harry Potter visibly pales, his wand hand shaking ever so slightly as he takes a step back. The crowd falls silent, the other aurors equally as shaken as their leader. I wonder what could have possibly happened in the past to create such a reaction at the mere mention of my name. Did I follow in my father's footsteps, perhaps, and help him accomplish his dream? Does this Harry Potter regret pointing his wand at me now that he knows who I am? I sincerely hope so.

"Riddle and Lestrange…" The name leave's Harry Potter's lips like poison as he lowers his wand, stepping towards me. "Impossible. Tom never had any children, he was never interested in that, and Bellatrix couldn't have children after she was hit by a curse in the Ministry raid."

"Watch how you speak about my parents, Harry Potter" I snarl, mirroring his step forward and pressing the tip of my wand against his throat.

He knocks it away carelessly, narrowing his eyes on me. "Well, Theato Riddle, it seems that you, along with Jackson Wood, Malcolm Flint, and Caelum Longbottom, have managed to travel through time to the future."


	5. Chapter 1 - Theato Riddle

_Chapter 1 – Theato/Emrys Riddle_

The carriage, towed by thestrals, dumps along towards the looming Hogwarts castle, far behind the rest of the carriages. Despite whatever time difference there may be, the ride is exactly as it was in my time, minus current company. The Auror Harry Potter sits directly across from me, his wand clenched tightly in his fist as he keeps his attention solely focused on me, dismissing my three companions as not dangerous. Despite his focus, I can see the glassy complexion of his eyes. He's lost somewhere in his own head. The Gryffindor boy, Jackson, eyes me distrustfully while sitting between him and the brown haired Caelum Longbottom, an arm slung across Caelum's shoulder comfortingly as the Hufflepuff glances up at me occasionally, shuddering violently each time our eyes meet. The only one out of the bunch who seems even the slightest bit comfortable with me is the Slytherin sitting next to me, the black haired crooked toothed Malcom Flint. His gaze is focused completely out the window of the carriage, watching Hogwarts draw nearer, trying to pick out little changes from his own time. His stoic appearance helps calm the other two Hogwarts students, but I can see his mask, the cracks in it that let confusion and fear shine through. Whoever this boy is, whatever he is in his own time, he is a Slytherin, and as Head Girl for Slytherin in my own time, I feel the need to reassure the boy. He wishes to know more about the time that I pulled him into, then so be it.

"How many generations?" My words slice the silence, startling the Auror sitting across from me. Caelum gasps quietly, trying his hardest to keep his eyes from landing on me but failing, and Jackson sends me a dirty look for frightening the Hufflepuff. I have always hated Hufflepuffs, with their lack of courage. They are known to be loyal to a fault, though, the only admirable quality in them.

Harry Potter's eyes sharpen as his grip on his wand tightens, knuckles turning white for the barest of moments before he loosens his grip and arches an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"How many generations have passed since… since her time, and ours?" Malcolm's voice surprises us all, low and soft as he turns his attention inwards, staring at the Auror and straightening his spine like a proud pureblood. Like a true Slytherin.

Harry Potter purses his lips, glancing at the black haired boy before sighing and slipping his wand back into his robes. Caution lines his features. "I don't know how many generations it has been for Theato Riddle, if I had to guess I would say four or five, but in this time you are both adults, and my children have children."

Malcolm falls silent for a moment, tilting his head to the side in concentration. "Two generations for us, then" he whispers, shaking his head in disbelief while turning to stare out of the window again. He ignores Jackson's sympathetic gaze as the Gryffindor reaches forward and places a reassuring hand on his knee.

Ignoring the two boys, I lean towards the Auror, fully aware of his jerk backwards as I do so, one hand reaching up to brush against his scar. Anger, closely followed by hatred, flashes through his eyes, all for me, and I can't help but leer at him as I watch his movement with amusement, once against drawn to his strange scar. "What is the story behind that scar, Harry Potter?"

"You don't know Harry Potter's story?" The surprised gasp comes from Jackson as he, apparently forgetting the frightened shadow beside him, pulls his arm away and places both elbows on his knees, leaning forward, disbelief spelled across his face. "Are you bloody mad?"

"She is not mad, Jackson" Harry mutters, leaning back and closing his eyes. He rubs a hand across his forehead, fingers hovering over the scar in a familiar way. His body slouches against the carriage bench in fatigue. "She is from a time before I was even born." I lean forward, tapping his knee with my wand, drawing his attention back to me. The hatred that lit his eyes before dims as he brushes my wand away again, scowling. "Your father gave me that scar, Miss Riddle."

Annoyed by his indifference, I stiffen and slide to the end of my seat, pressing my wand into his neck. Dark glee flits through me at his sharp intake of breath, and I drop my voice down low, much like I've heard Tom do when he's playing with one of his minions. "And why would my father do something like that?"

Harry Potter's eyes flash dangerously but he doesn't knock my wand away. He raises his wand slowly, tapping it against the back of my wand hand, tilting his chin up. "He wanted me dead, Miss Riddle, and you best lower your wand if you don't fancy yourself in more trouble than you already are in."

Jackson's eyes widen and he makes a confused sound. "But Voldemort was the one who gave you-"

"Tom Riddle is Voldemort, Mr. Wood." I interrupt him, scowling darkly at the Gryffindor while pressing my wand harder into the Auror's throat before slowly lowering it. I would bet my broom that Harry Potter was a Gryffindor, too. They are not the brightest house in Hogwarts, that is for certain. "Are you daft, or did the real name of the greatest Dark Lord who ever lived slip your mind?"

"Voldemort's real name is not well known in these times." Malcolm whispers, the quiet dark haired boy once more surprising me. It almost sounds like… like he is standing up for the Gryffindor.

Glancing between the two boys, I narrow my eyes. The blond Gryffindor flushes a scarlet red that matches his robes while the Slytherin beside me presses his lips together again, eyes downcast. I keep my gaze focused on him until he glances up, thoughts masked behind cool detachment. At least he can keep his emotions under check, unlike the blushing Gryffindor and cowering Hufflepuff. "And why not?"

Auror Potter cleans his throat, shooting Malcolm a dark look warning him not to answer as the carriage comes to a jolting stop, sending me sprawling into Malcolm's lap. "We are here."

Embarrassed, I press my lips together and gather myself, trying to find a way to get off of the Slytherin boy without making more of a fool of myself. Before I can find one, however, a calloused hand clamps over my forearm. "Get off of him" Wood hisses, yanking on my arm and sending me tumbling off Malcolm's lap.

"Go easy on her, Wood" Malcolm growls, catching my other arm before I can hit the ground and pulling me up lying precariously on his lap again. He sends the Gryffindor a dirty look before running a hand through my hair, brushing it away from my face, and resting it on my shoulder. "Are you ok, Theato?"

"I am fine, thank you." I give up on graceful and simply push my feet to the ground and stand, brushing off imaginary dirt from my robes. Shooting Wood a triumphant smirk, I arch an eyebrow. "Someone jealous, Wood?"

"Don't answer that, Jackson" Harry Potter sighs, standing up in one jerky motion and gesturing for me to step out of the carriage before him. "Ladies first, Miss Riddle."

Rolling my eyes, I step out of the carriage and onto the dirt path that leads up to the front steps of Hogwarts. Malcolm joins me, closely followed by Wood and Longbottom. The sight of Hogwarts, standing proudly in front of me nearly makes me forget the mess that I am in. It looks exactly like it did in my sixth year, except the Whomping Willow looks like it took a beating a while ago, a little more… broken than last time I saw it. I can't understand what would try to take on the Whomping Willow, though.

"It's strange to be here and… to know that this isn't our time" Caelum whispers, speaking the first full sentence I have ever heard him speak. Jerking in surprise at his soft tone, I mutely nod in agreement, words stuck in my throat.

Clearing them, I turn to face the Auror and cross my arms across my chest haughtily, raising an eyebrow. "I assume that you are not going to take us in for dinner."

"You assumed correct. I am taking you to Headmistress McGonagall's . She will decide what to do with you" Harry Potter answers, stepping out of the carriage behind me and placing a hand on Caelum's shoulder. He nods his head for me to go first, pulling the Hufflepuff closer. "One of my Auror's sent an owl up ahead, to explain your… particular situation to her."

"Headmistress McGonagall? You mean, Minnie McGonagall?" I snort, laughter bubbling from my mouth before I can stop it. Harry Potter shoots me a dark look, and I try to stop laughing, I really do, but it just keeps forcing its way out, earning me dirty looks from the three boys as well. "I thought that she wanted that Dumbledore fool to be Headmaster. I never once thought she wanted it for herself."

"Dumbledore was Headmaster. She took over after he passed away" Harry Potter answers me, placing his other hand on my shoulder to straighten me up before shoving me towards the front steps. "Hurry up, Miss Riddle. I don't have all night."

I can't help the grin from lingering as I manage to stop laughing, brushing his hand away and while heading up the path to Hogwarts, Malcolm in step beside me. Judging by the tingling in my neck, I'd say that both Jackson Wood and Caelum Longbottom aren't too pleased with the Flint boy for walking next to me. I wonder why they hate me so much, when they barely know me? Did I make such a bad first impression? I couldn't have made a worse impression than that Amelia girl, who ran out like a Gryffindor despite her Ravenclaw robes and tried to get in the middle of an Auror's work, or the handsome boy who followed her. "Out of curiosity, _sir_, but are you related to the boy from the square? The one who was with that girl, Amelia?"

The silence after my questions tells me that I took the Auror by surprise. He coughs from somewhere behind me, shoes tripping in the gravel. "Joss? He is my grandson."

"Wait, so Albus actually managed to get together with-" Jackson's question is cut off by Harry Potter's disapproving, strangled sound.

"Yes. He did."

Jackson grins in response, looking immensely pleased with the notion that this Albus Potter, most likely a friend from his own time, had managed to 'get together' with whomever he was referring to. It seems that Hogwarts boys never change, despite the generations that pass.

Which just serves to remind me how little I know of these times. The three boys at least recognize people, living people, and have a shred of knowledge concerning how this future is, since they are only two generations out of their own time. I have not recognized a single person, nor do I know anything about these times. I am four, or, as Harry Potter so kindly stated, five generations out of my own time. I have no idea what I am walking into, or who will be there to greet me.

Walking up the steps, I swallow my pride and slow down, letting Malcolm, Jackson, and Caelum enter Hogwarts ahead of me. Speeding up once the Auror is beside me, I fall into step next to him. Dropping my voice down to a whisper, I keep my gaze at the boys in front of us. "Harry Potter?"

"Yes?" He answers, keeping his own gaze focused on the boys. His curiosity is evident in his voice, apparently not having expected the twinge of tremors in my voice. "Up the stairs. Head to the Headmistress' office, boys. You remember where that is? It hasn't moved all these years" he calls to the boys, a small smile slipping onto his face as he watches the scene in front of us.

Jackson bumps into Malcolm, whispering something into his ear, who, in turn, bumps into Caelum, who yelps with indignation and laughs, shoving Malcolm right back. Jackson snickers, amused, and reaches around Malcolm to shove at Caelum. A low laugh, amused, follows as Malcolm grabs Jackson's arm and yanks him closer, slinging his own arm over Wood's shoulders. Were they friends, back in their time? A headstrong Jackson, a quiet Malcolm and a nervous Caelum? A Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff? That would be impossible in my time. If they are friends, it is good to see that Hogwarts has advanced that far, assuming they are all purebloods.

Clearing my throat softly, I try to stop my voice from shaking this time, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment from it shaking before. "Are my parents still alive in this time?"

The drawn out silence that seems to stretch minutes gives me all the answer I need, but my heart still falls when he answers. "No."

"Is there anything I… should be worried about? Anyone who would try to hurt me?" The words escape before I can stop them, rushed and whispered. But… the way he said no, the hesitation before he answered me… something bad must have happened. Him standing here, alive, even after announcing that my father wanted him dead… It must have been something bad concerning my father. Biting my lip, I try to cover up my moment of weakness with snark, "or, if the wand pointed the other way, fawn over me?"

For the first time since we have had the unfortunate fate of meeting, Harry Potter looks down at me with something soft in his eyes, something harder than sympathy or pity, but still soft. Care. As if he finally got past whatever hatred he held against me for whatever reason and figured out that I am, indeed, a young lady out of her time, just trying to find a bit of stable ground. "If I were you, I would watch out for the Weasley and Malfoy children, along with Caelum Longbottom up there, they might not be as accepting as others. Some of the professors might not be overly fond of you either, since they will recognize your parents' names and be informed of who they are. I am not so sure about the fawning. There might still be some Slytherins who will do it, the ones who recognize your parent's names, as Malcolm has."

"I wouldn't consider Malcolm's attitude fawning" I drawl, following him up the numerous stairs, and down the halls, following the invisible pathway that I have walked hundreds of times, many years in the past from now, towards the Headmistress' office. The same gargoyle guards the entrance, though, admittedly, looking a bit more beat up than I remember it.

Harry looks thoughtful for a moment, slowing down as we near the three boys that wait in front of the gargoyle. "No, he's trying to protect you."

Confusion drips through me, slowly and surely, and my eyebrows furrow as I glance up at him, demanding an answer. "Protect me?"

"What's the password, Harry?" Jackson asks, leaning into Malcolm's side with an ease that speaks leagues for the comforting effect that the Slytherin boy has on him. Caelum, however, stiffens as I come near, the laughter draining from him.

"Animagus" Harry answers, ignoring the boys as the gargoyle springs away from the entrance, revealing the staircase. He shoots me a droll look, trying his hardest not to smile as he walks up the stairs. "Ask him yourself, Riddle."

"That is the second time this evening that we have arrived at a place and said arrival has stopped you from answering my questions" I call, jogging up the stairs after him. Annoyance flusters my steps, but I keep my graceful air as the boys follow behind me, watching my every move, curious about the conversation that occurred between myself and the Auror while they were fooling around. "That is not fair, Harry Potter."

"Life is not fair" he answers, pushing the doors at the top of the stairs open and stepping in, a bright smile lighting up his face. "Good evening, Headmistress McGonagall."

"Ah, Mister Potter! It's a pleasure to see you again, Harry, though I wish it were not under these circumstances."

I follow Harry's path into the room, the boys right behind me, and watch as much older McGonagall hugs Harry Potter, patting him on the back in a motherly way before pulling away and fixing her robes.

"As do I" Harry grins, stepping back and motioning for us to come forward and stand in a line in front of the Headmistress. He turns to face us, gesturing to each in turn. "These are the students that apparated into Hogsmeade earlier. Jackson Wood, Malcolm Flint, Caelum Longbottom and… Theato Riddle. All here for their final year."

McGonagall pales at my name, though she does not seem surprised. She steps around her desk, coming up to stand in front of me. Like Harry, she recognizes my name, but unlike him, she does not seem riddled with hatred, but more sad and curious. "Theato Riddle… it has been a long time, hasn't it."

"Yes ma'am" I answer, trying my hand at respectful. I may have known her when she was a young adult, a new professor, and I may have teased and annoyed her, but now she is older, nearly elderly if not, and Headmistress. Glancing around her office, I notice the new additions. Though it is now clean and proper and no longer cluttered from Dippet's many items, that does not interest me. What interests me are the three new portraits hanging behind her desk. One of Dippet, the old Slytherin fool. One of Dumbledore, aged and wizened, eyes gleaming out at me with curiosity, and one of a greasy bat-like man who was obviously some sort of Slytherin, just by the calculating look in his eyes.

The corners of McGonagall's mouth twitch up, obviously remembering the same thing that I am, and she pats my shoulder, much to the four boys' surprise. "Well, I can't say that I am surprised. Your mysterious disappearance for your final year, right out of Mrs. Lestrange's own home, was quite concerning. To see you standing here in front of me now, well, it answers quite a lot of the questions I had. Times have changed, though, Miss Riddle."

"So I gathered." Smiling, I arch an eyebrow, crossing my arms across my chest. "I assume you would like me to explain what happened?"

"A short version, yes, though I would like to hear it all later."

"I miscalculated a homemade apparation spell in an attempt to find a safer way to apparate, and ended up bringing myself and the boys here, into this time. I suspect that my magic tore a hole in my own time, and sought out the most stable time to fix it, which is right now, and dragged the boys, who just happened to be doing magic right where I wanted to apparate, on the same day of the same month, though different year, with me." The explanation leaves me in one breath, and when I am done I gasp and breathe in deeply, ignoring the looks from the boys.

McGonagall nods in thought, patting my shoulder once before pulling her hand away, pursing her lips and looking at each of us in turn. "Perhaps on another night I will give you the grand story of your father and Harry Potter here, but I regret to say that it will not be tonight. No, the sorting ceremony is about to begin, and I am late as it is. Hogwarts has always accepted young wizards and witches, no matter their… particular situations, and we will continue the tradition." She picks her wand off her desk, slipping it into a pocket in her robe. "You will each be resorted tonight, and may begin your final year at Hogwarts in this time. Miss Riddle, I expect you to behave as an ordinary student, not a Dark Lord's daughter. I will owl you when I have time to explain your particular situation and the current times. And Mister Longbottom… do try and avoid giving your father a heart attack, will you?"

Caelum nods numbly, glancing at Malcolm and Jackson, but before he can say anything McGonagall sweeps past us and out of her office. "Now that is sorted, come. Mister Potter, I would appreciate it if you kept these four students out of the hall until the sorting ceremony is done. I will then make an announcement, and you may escort them in, pairs of two please, and stand in a straight line in front of the sorting hat."

"It would be my pleasure" Harry answers, motioning for us to follow him as he follows the Headmistress, as obedient and respectful as if he himself were a student.

Glancing at each other with traces of fear in all of our eyes, we follow him. Jackson and Malcolm go first, their hands clasping before Malcolm leans over and whispers something into Jackson's ear, making him blush and pull his hand away until only their pinkies are twined. Caelum stares at me, lips pressed together, the cowardice no longer there, replaced with some kind of courage. He steps up beside me, stiff and angry, but walks next me anyways.

I really have to wonder what happened to the boy and his family. Obviously it wasn't me who did it. But it matters not. Right now, I need to focus on this 'resorting' thing McGonagall has planned. I will be in Slytherin again, but the Slytherins… Harry Potter said they will not know me, and McGonagall wishes for me to be normal. How does one act normal when one is as powerful as me?


	6. Chapter 2 - Amelia Malfoy

Chapter 2 – Amelia/Aidian Malfoy

I slump into my seat in the Great Hall, the sorting half over, exhausted because we missed the carriages. Joss is currently giving me a death glare. It's kind of nice, actually. I shake my head and stick my tongue out at him. Turning towards the front, I notice we already have five new Ravenclaws. Grinning, I turn my attention to the Sorting Hat, as tiny Professor Flitwick sets it atop another child's head. You could almost hear the boy shaking. Finally, the hat shouts Ravenclaw.

I jump up and stand on my seat, cheering and clapping. The girl sitting next to me- Katie I think her name is- tugs on my robes. I drop back into my seat and look at her.

"Hello." I say and she points across the Hall to the Gryffindor table where Joss is mouthing frantically at me. I shake my head to let him know I have no idea what he is saying and he shakes his head and pulls his robes from his chest. He taps the shiny Head Boy badge there, and I nearly shriek.

I nod at him and quickly start patting down my robes, attempting to remember where I put my badge. Suddenly I gasp, and reach under the table for my boot. Forcing my hand inside I clasp the badge in my hand.

Deftly pinning it to my robes, I look over at Joss and smile triumphantly. He rolls his eyes, and stands to cheer with his house as another Gryffindor is added to their ranks.

I smile, turning back to the front as someone slides in next to me.

"Hey, Amelia, how was your summer?"

I turn. "Maria? But you're not... you're so going to get me in trouble, go back to your table."

She grins at me. "Ha. Fat chance. All the people at my end keep talking about something that happened in Hogsmeade and I couldn't care less. So how was your summer?"

I smile at her. "It was good. Joss stayed at my house for the last week. That was fantastic. Except, I got into a fight with my mom. It wasn't pretty, but that doesn't really matter. How was your summer? More importantly, how is Caleb?"

She blushes and shakes her head.

"No way, you are going to tell me." I poke her in the stomach, and she giggles. I continue to poke her until she finally relents.

"Okay. Fine. My summer was absolutely amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better one. Caleb came over a lot, even though his mom doesn't really enjoy him consorting with a Hufflepuff, she still let him come. Slytherin Pride and all that upholding the family name bullshit. His dad is totally for it though, it's great." She has such a dreamy, star struck look in her eyes, I just have to ruin it.

And that's how Maria got shoved off a bench the first day of her seventh year.

The best part, was she didn't even really notice. She just kind of... flopped to the ground.

I start to shake with silent laughter and she looks up at me, confused.

"Lia... when did you get so tall? I mean, I know you're tall, but not that tall." Maria questions from the floor. I press my lips together to keep my laughter contained.

She looks extremely confused. Then, the Sorting Hat shouts Hufflepuff and she springs up and starts cheering as loud as she can. Everyone at the Ravenclaw table looks at her like she's insane. She slowly calms and looks around. Everyone has sat down, and she is currently the only one standing. She grins sheepishly up at Headmistress McGonagall and slinks back to her seat at the Hufflepuff table. Everyone started giggling, until Professor Flitwick calls the final child to the stool. Everyone goes silent, and the only sound to be heard is the dull thud of the girl's sneakers as she walks slowly to the stool. She slides up on to it, and the Hat drops on her head, covering most of her face.

We sit and wait for what seems like an eternity while the Hat decides. Finally, it shifts. Opening its mouth the shouts a giant "Gryffindor!"

Some Gryffindor's actually climb on top of their table to jump and cheer for the girl. Everyone in the hall is smiling at their enthusiasm, minus a few Slytherin's, who scowl and rolls their eyes with good humor.

Then, Headmistress McGonagall stands and a silences falls that only can come from respect, and maybe a little fear.

"To our new students, welcome. To our old students, welcome back. This is my last year as Headmistress here and I would like to make it a good one. I won't keep you from your dinner long," she says, glancing at the Hufflepuff table, who are all feigning death from lack of food. Smiling, she continues.

"Now, before you eat, we have a very important matter to take care of. As many of you may have heard, four students were found, having apparated into Hogsmeade earlier. This normally wouldn't be anything to remark on, but these students are special. They are... not from our time." The silence that follows, condemned by shock, compels her to continue. "Their names are Caelum Longbottom," at this, Professor Longbottom gasps and stares at the Headmistress, unbelieving, "Jackson Wood, Malcolm Flint, and Theato Riddle." Everyone starts muttering to each other, not quite understanding what Mcgonagall is saying. Disbelief hits me along with them.

"Silence. Now, this is not a something that is usually seen. Time travel of this magnitude has never before been done. Miss Theato Riddle had created a homemade apparation spell, hoping it would lessen the risks of splinching as she came to school. However, it failed, and she was thrown forward in time, pulling three boys from another timeline along with her. Now, they are here in the castle and are in need of a place to stay. We have arranged for them to re-do their Sorting Ceremony. Now, Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind as to bring them in."

The doors to the Great Hall swing open, and Harry Potter, famous Auror and Boy-Who-Lived-Twice marches through, dark blue robes billowing behind him. Two of the boys, Malcolm and Jackson I think, follow behind him, their pinkies linked as to not attract unwanted attention. Behind them, Caelum and the girl, Theato, follow. Caelum looks slightly terrified to have to walk so close to her. Theato, on the other hand, walks with her head held high, like she is above everyone else in the room. She looks at me as she passed by, and smirks.

Once they get to the front, they spread out in a line in front of the small stool. Caelum looks up at his father with a kind of silent horror, Professor Neville staring down at Theato with the same silent terror on his face, as if remembering a nightmare he thought was gone forever.

Harry picks the Sorting Hat up off the stool and looks at the four students, a wry look on his face. "Now, which of you would like to go first?"


	7. Chapter 3 - Theato Riddle

_**Author's Note: This chapter is indeed written by me, Sheri, but with the parts containing Amelia/Theato, those parts were role-played out, meaning I wrote my characters and Emily wrote hers. Enjoy~**_

* * *

_Chapter 3 – Theato Riddle_

The question hangs between the four of us and we glance at each other, uncertain. Caelum's forehead creases in confusion as he stares at McGonagall. Malcolm arches an eyebrow curiously, questioningly, and Jackson shrugs, stepping forward. "I'll go first."

I have never heard of a sorting ceremony that allows the students to dictate in what order they are sorted. We, as a group, are not exactly ordinary though, so I assume that they do not care which order we go in, but only that we get sorted as quickly as possible. Though, if it were to go by names, it would be much more professional, much more like the Hogwarts I knew. Dippet nor Dumbledore would have allowed us to choose which order we go in. When did the rules get so lax?

Jackson barely sits down on the stool before Harry drops the hat on his head, looking both amused and bored at the same time. Since he knows the adult versions of the boys, he probably already knows what House they will be in. That, and the robes that they wear, much like I do, give our preferred houses away.

"Gryffindor!" The hat yells, and Harry pulls it off of Jackson. Jackson grins at us, winking in Malcolm's direction before strutting towards the Gryffindor table, which erupts in loud cheers, thumps, and screams of 'Sweet Merlin, we have the young famous Jackson Wood in our House!'

Harry's grin is thinly veiled as he holds up the hat to us remaining three. "Next?"

Malcolm steps up without uttering a word, chin tilted up like a proud Slytherin as he walks to the stool, not bothering to sit down. Harry gives him a look, but Malcolm just bows his head and allows McGonagall to place the hat on his head. It takes less than a minute for the hat to have its answer. "Slytherin!"

Taking the hat off, Malcolm hands it back to Harry before heading towards the Slytherin table, shooting me an exasperated look that clearly states that he thinks this whole resorting thing is a waste of time.

Caelum, for once, doesn't look at me in fear but arches an eyebrow, glancing between me and the Sorting Hat, a silent plea. With hundreds of eyes focused on us, heat rises to his cheeks, soft and pink and innocent and scared.

"Miss Riddle, would you like to go next?" Harry's words draw my gaze to him as he offers the hat to me, a wry smile on his face as he drops his voice to a whisper. "Maybe you'll end up in Gryffindor."

Resisting the urge to snort, I give Caelum one last look before answering. "I wouldn't, actually. I believe I would like to go last, sir, that way I will be more memorable."

McGonagall raises an eyebrow curiously, having caught our silent exchange. She purses her lips and nods without questioning me, placing a hand on Harry arm, turning her gaze to the nervous wreck of a boy beside me. "I believe that leaves you, Mister Longbottom?"

"Yes, Ma'am" he answers, stepping up to Harry and sitting on the stool facing the rest of the school. His eyes close as Harry places that hat on his head, it nearly sliding down to completely cover his forehead. The Sorting Hat frowns, whispering something to Caelum, something that has the boy shaking his head and wringing his hands together as if he were truly a first year, instead of a seventh year. The hat whispers something else, and Caelum's eyes snap open, focusing on me as he listens intently. The eyes of the rest of the school bore into my back, trying to peer around my body to see Caelum, but I take a step closer to him, shielding him from most of them. Minutes stretch on, the silence seeming to get louder as Caelum flushes softly, his eyes closing once more.

McGonagall frowns, staring at the hat as it mutters one more thing before perking up. "Hufflepuff!" It yells, sending a shout up from the yellow and black clad House as they stand and cheer on their new arrival.

"Thank Merlin" Caelum whispers, taking the hat off and stand up. He offers the hat to me as he walks past, dropping it into my open hands. Something about the relief on his face bothers me, piques at my curiosity, but I doubt McGonagall would appreciate it if I stopped him to ask.

Turning to face the students, I stand proudly in front of them with my best trademark smirk. Not an ounce of Malcolm's amusement, nor Jackson's excitement, nor Caelum's nerves fit through my veins. It's my heart, pounding against my chest, that makes me so different from them. It is the tears building in my eyes at the sight of the other students looking up at me with hope that I will be in their House, that I will be their new friend. But I already have friends. I have friends back in my time, who are probably wondering where I am, on a night exactly like this, leaving a seat at the Slytherin table empty for me. Madeline Parkinson is probably making some joke about how I will be fashionably late, nudging Elaine Prince in the ribs much like she always does. Prince would roll her eyes and pretend to not care, while sharing a look with Mary Bulstrode. Mary would giggle and shake her head, standing up for me as she always does, while glancing at the doors, hoping to see me come in. Tomorrow, when they realize that I won't be attending Hogwarts, when they read the article printed about my disappearance, Elaine Prince will cry. She will cry because I was the only one that she ever told about that muggle boy that she fancies, and she will cry because I am the only one who truly understands the pain she feels, the longing, and the feeling of not quite fitting in. Mary will stare at her jam covered toast in silence, numb, and go through the next days in a trance because I was the only one she truly connected with. Madeline, though, will be the best off. She always had the most faith in me, believed that no matter where and what I did, I would always be in control of my own fate. She will miss me, yes, and she will mourn me in private, but in front of the others she will crack jokes and try to cheer them up because she knows that it is her job now that I am gone. And I caused them this pain.

Blinking back my tears, I slip the hat onto my head, ignoring the way it hums happily despite my sour mood.

"Ah, Miss Riddle. Must I repeat what you heard in your first year?" The hat whispers into my ear, wiggling on my head as it shifts through my thoughts once more, exactly like it did when I was in my first year, except this time it is almost gentle.

Pressing my lips together I bite down on my tongue, pain flaring through my body as the taste of blood assaults me, drying my tears. "No. Get this over with quickly, please. I am starving."

The hat chuckles, something that hats should never be allowed to do, and calls out for the whole hall to hear. "Alright then. Slytherin!"

Taking the hat off, I toss it back to Harry Potter and walk down to the Slytherin table, smiling and bowing at the cheering they raise for me. I walk halfway down the length, choosing to sit between Malcolm and the Slytherin Prefect.

"Let the feast begin!" McGonagall calls from the front, food appearing on all of the tables. Cheering rises again, quickly cut off by pleasant chatter as students dig into the warm, delicious food placed in front of them.

The Prefect angles himself to face me, a bright smile on his face. "Welcome to Slytherin, Theato Riddle. I am Caleb Black, Prefect" he says, glancing at me with sympathetic eyes while dishing some sort of gravy covered meat into his plate. "I was informed that all of your stuff has been moved into your own separate room in the Slytherin dorms. We thought it best that you have your privacy to help you settle down here. That time travel must have been rough."

"It wasn't rough. My spell did as it was supposed to: it made apparating less painful. Unfortunately, it did have the time travel side effect" I answer, scooping a bit of spaghetti into my plate and slowly raising a forkful to my mouth. A wry smile touches my lips as I chew on it. "A Black?"

"Yes" he answers, puffing his chest out in pride and grinning. "Did you know any Blacks, back in your day?"

"My mother was a Black, Caleb. That makes us related" I muse, taking another forkful of pasta and thoughtfully chewing on it. He'd probably be a descendant of another Black, but where is the fun in telling him that? "You know, I could be your grandaunt, Caleb. Or even your grandmother. I was infatuated with a lovely young man back in my day." My words are close enough to the truth. No need to tell him that the man is my father, Tom, and my infatuation is nothing more than a daughter looking up to her father. Telling him that would spoil the fun.

His face pales, eyes widening with something close to horror. He works his jaw a few times before managing to get his words out, cheeks flushing a delicate pink. "I-I never saw your name on the family tree."

I smile, putting my fork down as my stomach quakes in disapproval. I can't eat right now. I can't. Mother is back home, probably worried out of her mind. How could I forget about her, about what this must be doing to her? Pushing away from the table, I stand and ignore the curious look Malcolm gives me. "Well, you wouldn't, knowing my father. He would keep my identity all to himself. He probably put an alias up. If you will excuse me, I am not feeling well. Are the Slytherin dorms still where they used to be?"

"They haven't moved…" Caleb whispers, still staring at me with abject horror. Apparently the thought of meeting his grandmother as a beautiful young lady is too much for his mind to process. I sincerely hope that his horror stays for a few more days, it is a rather amusing expression to see on his face. "Your room is down the left corridor, fourth door. The password is Delicacies, but you can change it as soon as you claim the room."

Nodding, I say good night to him and Malcolm, waving to the other Slytherins that try to get my attention and promising them that we will talk tomorrow, and that yes, I am indeed exhausted from my trip and about to drop. They give me sympathetic and calculating looks but nod and wave me off. Thank Merlin for Slytherins, the one House that will not question someone, but merely wait until after they are gone to dig through the rubble and find their answer.

Many eyes follow my path out of the Great Hall, but nobody stops me, and once I am out, I feel the tears finally fall free, staining my cheeks with paths of saltwater, the sobs tearing through my throat. I can't let them out yet. Not until I am in my room. Not until nobody can hear me. They will not know how shaken up I am. They will not know a single weakness from me.

Sleep will not come easy tonight.

* * *

I will admit, I planned to wear a more glamorous outfit for my first day of school. I also planned on being back in my own time, though, so I wouldn't hold that to me. All in all, my Slytherin blouse, short green skirt, platform boots and Slytherin robe thrown on top still make me look positively smashing, especially with my hair curling over my shoulders, still as crazy as my mother's. All of my books, quills, parchment, everything I need for classes is crammed into a chocolate brown messenger bag that was left on my bed this morning after I returned from the showers.

I manage to stifle my yawn as I walk into the Slytherin common room and past all of the drowsy students, heading towards the exit. One stands as I walk past, a pale shadow with dark hair, and follows me out and into the corridor. Pressing my lips together to stop my smile, I can't help but think back to Harry Potter's words. He's trying to protect me. From what?

"Good morning, Malcolm" I greet him as we make our way out of the dungeons and down the hall, towards breakfast.

"Good morning, Theato" he answers back just as quietly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his Slytherin robes.

My shadow follows me through the halls and into the Great Hall, pausing a step behind me when I stop. The scent of bacon and toast and eggs wafts through the hall, followed by the cheerful chatter and despaired groans of the students as they check their schedules and eat their breakfast, catching up on their summers and matching classes. The Slytherin table looks welcoming enough, a few of the girls waving me over enthusiastically. I'd rather not sit with them right now. No, I'd rather sit with... her. Spotting the strawberry blonde hair of the Ravenclaw that came to my defense yesterday, I can't help but smirk. There you are, Amelia. "If you plan on following me, I'm warning you now, I am going to the Ravenclaw table. If that damages your reputation too much, then don't bother following me" I sing, glancing over my shoulder at Malcolm before grinning and bouncing over to the Ravenclaw table. The excitement bubbling through my veins surprises me, tearing a giggle from my throat as I sit down gracefully in the empty seat across from the girl, Malcolm sitting beside me. "Amelia? I would greet you with a last name as well, but I never learned yours."

She looks up, shock evident on her face. "Um... hi. It's Malfoy, and I know you and you don't know me, so this is weird." She says, pointing at Malcolm.

Malcolm arches an eyebrow elegantly, tilting his head to the side as he snatches a piece of toast off the plate of the brown haired boy across from him. "You know me? How, if I may ask?"

I roll my eyes, leaning into my stalker's side and snatching the toast out of his fingers, taking a bite from it. "Well, Malcolm, she is a Malfoy, and you are a Flint. If things haven't changed from my time, then you would have been friends with one of her ancestors."

Amelia lets out a small laugh at my theft, and says, "My father to be exact. You always brought us Quidditch tickets when you visited."

I take a bite out of the toast and raise my eyebrows, trying hard not to grin at the confused look on Malcolm's face. Taking pity on him, I take another bite of the toast before offering it back to him.

"Really? Who was your father and why would I bring Quidditch tickets?" He asks, taking the toast without looking at me and taking a bite out of it, directly where I did.

I stifle my giggles as the brown haired boy, who was glaring at Malcolm for having stolen his toast, stares at the oblivious Slytherin in amazement. Leaning between Malcolm and Amelia, I offer him my best psychopathic grin and arch an eyebrow. "What? Surprised that an ugly bloke like Flint deserves to share a piece of toast with someone like myself?"

Amelia looks over at the kid who has started stuttering incoherently. She puts a hand on his arm and turns back to me with a disapproving look on her face. "Theato. Stop it. You're scaring him." Turning back to the kid she says, "Micah. Micah Potter. Stop. This is where you laugh at Malcolm and scamper away to find Eli."

The kid- Micah- smiles at Amelia before jumping up and sprinting towards the Gryffindor table.

She shakes her head before turning back to us. "To answer your question, Malcolm, would not be as fun as leaving you hanging."

I roll my eyes and lean back into Malcolm's side, watching the kid retreat. "Another Potter? Good graces, how many are there? Is he your boyfriend's younger brother?" I drawl, stealing the toast from Malcolm again and taking the last bite, crumbs falling onto our sleeves. Taking pity on the frowning, glaring, moody Slytherin beside me, I reach up and grab his chin, tilting his head down to look at me instead of the Ravenclaw. "I can answer that, darling. She is a Malfoy, and said that her father was your friend. Were you friends with a Malfoy back in your time?"

Malcolm's eyes light up in recognition and he grins down at me, removing my hand from his chin and dropping it before turning to grin at Amelia, bursting out in excited laughter. "Scorpius? Is your father Scorpius Malfoy? Bloody Hell, I can't believe that prick actually managed to get Rose! We all had running bets that she'd turn him down flat on his face!"

Jolting away from him, I stare at the once-gloomy Slytherin, eyebrows furrowing. Merlin, I forgot how many the mood swings a Slytherin boy can go through in one day.

Amelia giggles. "She did, quite a few times if I remember right. Also," she said, turning to stare intently into my face. "Joss is most definitely not my boyfriend, and Micah is his cousin, not brother." She says it so seriously, I have to wonder what is going on between the two of them. I'm about to ask when Caleb plops down next to Amelia and starts staring at me with that torn, forlorn expression again.

Amelia looks Caleb strangely. She glances at me before raising her hand and slapping him on the back of the head. His face falls off the hand it was propped on and smacks into the table. Cursing, he looks up at Amelia, a small trickle of blood coming from his nose. "Bloody hell, Lia! What was that for?"

She just shrugs and says, "You were being kind of creepy."

I can't help the amused grin that slips onto my face. "He's just scared that I am his grandmother or great grandmother. You can never tell with the Black family" I sing softly, reaching across Malcolm and to Micah's plate, snagging a piece of toast off of it and taking a bite. I offer it to Malcolm again, smirking when he takes it without question and finishes it off.

"Be nice, Theato" he murmurs softly, bumping his elbow into mine.

Sighing, I roll my eyes and pout, mostly for his amusement. "Alright, fine. Merlin, am I not allowed any fun in this time?" Turning back to Amelia, I look over her curiously. "Definitely not your boyfriend? Sounds like there are some dark secrets hidden there." Flashing her my psychopathic Tom grin, I lean forward across the table, eyes glittering. "Anything fun that might amuse me?"

Amelia blushes a dark red. Her face changes a little, her hair getting a little shorter before the closes her eyes, swallows and everything is back to normal. I narrow my eyes.

"No! Absolutely not." She stammers.

Caleb scoffs next to her. "Yeah, right. Because Joss wasn't staring at you longingly the entire train ride up here. And you two definitely do not flirt twenty four seven. No, absolutely not."

No longer interested in the dirty little details of Amelia's romance, I lean further across the table, tilting my head slightly to the side in concentration. That flash... that just went across her face. And her hair. That was definitely not a breeze playing with it. "Any other dirty little secrets, Amelia? Other than your dirty little crush on your best friend?"

Malcolm places a hand on my arm, pulling me back across to our side of the table. "Theato, relax" he hisses warningly, shooting Caleb a look, pleading with him to change the subject.

Amelia turns extremely pale, her breathing shallow, staring at me. The look in her eyes is terrified. Something did just happen.

"Um, maybe we should go to class. We all have the same first block. Professor Longbottom never does like it when we are late to Herbology. Come on, Lia." Taking Amelia by the arm and pulling her up from her frozen position, Caleb physically drags her out of the Hall, waving bye to Malcolm and I.

I glare at the back of Caleb's head, silently cursing the boy as he drags the object of my interest away. How dare he, when I was not done questioning her?

"Are you done eating?" Malcolm asks quietly, glancing around at the rest of the Ravenclaw's uneasily.

Taking another moment to glare at the pair before they are out of my sight, I nod. Pressing my lips together, I slowly stand, pushing my messenger bag further behind myself. Turning my attention back to the Slytherin, I give him a tight-lipped smile and offer him my hand. "Yes, thank you. I think I will be off to Herbology. Care to join me?"

"I would love to" he answers honestly, glaring back at a first year Ravenclaw who dares to glare at him before accepting my hand and standing.

I pull him closer by our joined hands, going on tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "Oh, and by the way, Flint, Jackson Wood has been scowling at us all through breakfast. You might want to assure him the next time you see him that I am not trying to steal you from him." Smirking, I pull away and admire the faint plush on the pale Slytherin before dropping his hand and marching past the tables and out of the Great Hall, calling back. "I assume the Herbology greenhouses are still in the same spot?"

Malcolm jogs to catch up with me, looking over his shoulder at the Gryffindor who is, indeed, scowling at us. "I would believe so. I grabbed both our schedules, if you are interested in knowing where you are going later."

"Such a gentleman" I coo, taking the slip of parchment from him and shoving it in my bag without looking at it. I slip out of the school and down the path to the greenhouses, ignoring everything except the duo in front of us, already entering the greenhouses. I could pass every single one of these classes without attending a single one of them. I studied extensively, every summer, to make Bella and Tom proud. I know more than even the teachers here do. But what I do not know is what little dark secret Amelia is hiding.


	8. Chapter 4 - Amelia and Theato

_**Author's Note: Just like the last chapter, the parts concerning Amelia/Theato were role-played out by Sheri and I, doing our characters, and Theato's POV section for Charms was written by hope you enjoy~**_

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_Chapter 4 – Amelia Malfoy/Theato Riddle_

As soon as we exit the Great Hall I start hyperventilating. Caleb looks over at me with alarm. "Amelia? Are you okay?"

I shake my head and he looks around. Seeming to make up his mind he pulls me outside and starts heading for the greenhouses.

Merlin. That was terrifying. Especially because it was Theato. When Joss first noticed something change when I got nervous and asked me about it, I hadn't been this terrified. Maybe it was the way she asked it. She was so intense. And now I have to sit through an entire class with her.

I only hope she doesn't bring the subject up again. Especially around my friends.

"Amelia! What's wrong?"

I look up to see Professor Longbottom hurrying towards us, his robes covered in soil already. He reaches us and helps Caleb lower me to the ground. He pushes my knees up to my chest and my head between them. "Take deep breaths. Think of Quidditch. Just calm yourself down. That's it. Caleb, what happened?"

"I don't know. Theato just asked her if she has any secrets and she turned really pale and couldn't speak. Then she started hyperventilating, so I brought her to you."

The professor looks at me, understanding. I told him about my ability sometime during fourth year, when I was just tired of hiding and needed someone to confide in. He… he accepted me.

"I'm fine now. Thank you both." I give them each a small smile before standing. I walk over to the long table in the center of Greenhouse 3. There is nothing on the tables so I have to assume we are just going to be lectured about N.E.W.T's today. I drop on the bench and start searching through my bag for a quill and parchment.

"You're not really going to take notes, are you?" Caleb asks, straddling the bench next to me.

"Of course I am. I actually want to know what's going to be on it, so I don't study things that are useless. You could probably do with some notes too. Didn't you just barely get five O.W.L's?"

Grinning at a glaring Caleb, I look at my watch. Five more minutes until class actually starts. I distinctly remember Caleb saying we were going to be late.

I look towards the door as Malcolm and Theato walk in. She apparently had just insulted Malcolm again, for he was glaring at her and shaking his head. She laughs and spots me. She grins that psychotic grin of hers before moving to sit across the table from me.

Throwing her bag on the table she says, "Amelia Malfoy."

I ignore her as Professor Longbottom calls for silence.

"Okay everyone, this is your first day of your last year at Hogwarts. So of course, I'm going to start you off by lecturing you for the duration of this class. Mainly because Headmistress Mcgonagall may walk in at any moment. Feel free to zone out, but I beg of you, do not fall asleep."

I sigh. I know I said I was going to take notes, and I really should, but I'm already zoning out. Herbology has never been my favorite subject. Now, Defense Against The Dark arts is a class I can get into. Which just so happens to be my second block.

Smiling slightly, I glance across the table. Theato is looking at me curiously, and I return her stare.

She smirks and leans her elbows on the table. Determined not to be the one to look away first, I sit up straight and set down my quill. Malcolm has started to take notice, looking between Theato and I. Her smirk gets wider, before she finally shakes her head and looks down. She grabs her quill and starts writing quickly. Finishing, she looks up and slips the parchment across the table to me.

Curious, I stare at her for a second more before turning my attention to the note.

_'Why won't you tell me, Amelia Malfoy? I know you are hiding something._'

I look at her sharply, and she shrugs, gesturing for me to write back. I roll my eyes and pick up my quill.

_'I have no idea what you're talking about, Theato.'_

I slide the note over to her and she looks at me, disbelief evident on her face. She scribbles and passes it back.

'You and I both know that that is not true.'

I shake my head and crumple the parchment in my fist. I will not tell her. I cannot. She is sure to tell the whole school, and I can't let that happen. Or she'll call me a freak, like Mom did…

"Miss Malfoy."

I look up. Professor Longbottom and everyone who isn't currently dead to the world is staring at me.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I would like to speak with you for a moment, outside."

Caleb looks up from his doodles as I stand up. 'What does he want in the middle of class?' He mouths. Shrugging, I follow Professor Longbottom out of the greenhouse.

"What do you want to talk to me about, Professor?" I ask, extremely curious. I don't think he has ever done this before.

"Is Miss Riddle giving you a hard time, Amelia?" He asks, concerned.

"What? Theato? No. I mean, she can be a little intense and very forward about... Well, everything. But she is kind enough." I wonder why he is asking.

"I just thought... the look on your face when she passed you that note. I was just concerned, that's all. She can't be all that different from her mother. Hang around Bellatrix long enough and you either hate her or you become like her. And she doesn't look like she hates her."

I look at my professor, confused. "Do you not like her?"

"No."

I scoff. "How can you not like her already? You've never even had a conversation with her. You have no idea what she's like."

"She looks exactly like Bellatrix." He says, turning to look me in the eyes. His are full of hatred and pain, things I have never seen before in my professor.

"Just because she looks like her, doesn't mean she is her. I remember Joss told me that people always expected his father to be great, to do something great like Harry Potter. To be Harry Potter. Sometimes, people even called him Harry. They were projecting the legend on to the closest thing they had that even vaguely resembled it. You're projecting what you expect Theato to be, exactly like Bellatrix, without even giving her the chance to prove that she's not."

His expression didn't change. "Amelia, you don't know what she did."

"She didn't do anything! Bellatrix did. Theato is not her mother, Professor, no matter how much you think she is!" I am almost shouting by the end of my sentence. I turn on my heel and walk back into the greenhouse.

Caleb, Theato, and Malcolm all look up when I sit back down.

"What did he want?" Caleb whispers, Malcolm and Theato leaning in to hear.

I look at the three of them, three different generations of Slytherins, yet all strikingly similar.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know." I whisper back.

Caleb gasped mockingly. "Joss will be absolutely furious when his cat dies. Scatter has the most curiosity of any animal I've ever met."

I smile at him. "You obviously haven't met yourself."

"How am I supposed to meet myself? How is that possible?"

"Well I'm sure if Malcolm tried hard enough he could." I say, looking towards said person. "Not that you should. That could be very bad actually. You could-" Caleb clapped his hand over my mouth. I look at him, indignant. Peeling his hand off of my mouth I say, "Excuse you. I was talking, and when was the last time you washed your hands?"

"Amelia, my friend. No one wants to hear you ramble on about things like that for hours. We are not Joss, content to just listen to you talk for the rest of our lives. And I believe it was this morning." Caleb grins.

I am about to retort when Professor Longbottom dismisses the class and everyone leaps up to hurry to their next class.

I stuff my things unceremoniously into my bag and sling it over my shoulder. "Bye, Caleb." I say before pushing my way to the door and sprinting back up to the castle.

Rushing through the corridors and up staircases and through hidden passages, I manage to be the first one in my Defense class, even though I was probably the farthest from it.

I drop my things on a desk in the front and skip to the professor, who was currently dictating with his wand on the chalkboard.

"Good morning, Professor." I say, trying not to giggle.

He sighs, and lowers his wand. "Amelia Malfoy. How in the world could I have guess you would be here first?" He says, turning to face me. His light brown hair tousled atop his head.

"Well, it is as big a mystery to you as it is to I."

His face splitting into a smile, Teddy Lupin reached out and pulled me into a hug.

"It's good to see you, Amelia."

"You too, even though you are getting kind of old. Your beautiful brown hair will soon be freaked with grey."

Shaking his head, smiling, he pushes me back by the shoulders.

"Go sit down, Miss Malfoy."

Grinning, I turn and see Gryffindors and Ravenclaws flooding through the door. I slide into my seat just as someone else slides into the one next to it.

"Joss!" I say, smiling.

"Amelia!" He says, mocking my tone. He grins and knocks our knees together. I slide my foot over and step on his. He glares at me and scoots his chair closer to mine. Catching my foot with his, he holds it hostage between his.

"Rude." I whisper to him, but don't even try to extract my foot from his. I bump his shoulder with mine and he retaliates by almost knocking me from my chair.

He would have succeeded, had he not been holding my foot.

As I right myself a small paper airplane lands on our desk with our names written on the outside. We look at each other, and then each start to unfold it.

_'You guys should totally just DATE ALREADY. Also, Jackson Wood is kind of gorgeous and sitting next to me. He also apparently saw me write that because he is grinning and attempting to take my parchment. -Casey _

_You guys should, you are adorable. And it's really obvious you both like each other. Just date. - Jackson Wood.' _

I stare at the parchment in disbelief. I glance up at Joss to see him already looking at me. I blush and turn to look behind us.

Casey is grinning at me, her brown hair pulled back in a pony tail. Jackson isn't even paying attention any more, just drawing on a spare piece of parchment.

'You are dead to me.' I mouth at Casey. She grins wider.

'You know you love me.' She mouths back. I roll my eyes.

'Yeah, that's the problem.' I turn away from her laughing face and face the front again. I glance at Joss from the corner of my eye to see him staring intently at his desk. I shake my head, and attempt to pay attention to what Professor Lupin is saying.

All of that goes to hell when Joss grabs my hand.

* * *

_**~Theato's POV~**_

What a joke. Summoning charms. Professor Flitwick, after all of his long years teaching Charms at Hogwarts, is making seventh year students do summoning charms for warm-up. I learned three summoning charms in my fourth year alone. He should make us practice something from the sixth year curriculum. I wonder how much the Hogwarts curriculum has deteriorated since my time. Defence against the Dark Arts must be terribly boring now.

"Accio Theato's bag" Malcolm calls from across the classroom. The bag, strap slung over my shoulders as I perch on the edge of a desk, drags itself along with my body across the tops of the desks, spilling me off the end of the desk closest to him. Malcolm leans down, catching my arm before I can hit the ground and helping me right myself. "Sorry."

"What was that about?" I snap, snapping his hands away before righting my robes and pulling my skirt back into its rightful position. Annoyance flashes through me as Hufflepuffs across the room giggle at me, and I raise my gaze to glare at them, effectively shutting them up.

Malcolm snickers and picks up a book that fell out of my bag, placing it back in before pulling the cover over and tying it shut. "You looked lost in thought."

Turning my glare on Malcolm, I narrow my eyes. "If you wanted my attention you could have asked instead of dragging me across the classroom."

"I figured you would appreciate the Slytherin approach of it better than a touchy feely Hufflepuff approach" he answers simply, leaning back against the nearest desk and arching an eyebrow, dark eyes glittering with amusement.

I glare at him for another moment before grinning. He definitely caught my attention, and my complete focus by doing that. A very Slytherin thing to do indeed, and very effective. Sometimes I question his Slytherin heritage, especially his attitude towards Wood and Longbottom, and then he does something that only a Slytherin would do. My mother would approve of him as a match for me: caring and Slytherin at the same time. Too bad he's a queer, if his relationship with Wood says anything. "Your assumption was correct." Flitwick sends us a curious look, having heard the commotion made by the giggling Hufflepuffs and having went over to them to investigate. Apparently, judging by the concern in his eyes, he is worried about my almost slamming my head into the floor. None of the professors in my time would have cared. Smiling reassuringly, I flick my wand and silently Accio Caelum Longbottom's quill. "Was there something specific you wanted to talk to me about, or were you just opposed to me thinking?" I ask Malcolm lowly, reaching out and snatching the quill as it sails past me.

"Just wanted to know what has caught your attention so strongly. I heard that Riddle's only pay attention to those who have something they want" Malcolm answers, following my line of sight and whistling softly. "And, despite your fascination with Caelum, I doubt it was him."

The squirrelly girl practicing with Caelum gestures over to me. He follows her motion, catching sight of the yellow quill in my hand. His eyes widen in surprise and he glances down at his empty desk, void of a quill, then back at the quill in my hand. Saying something to the girl, who nods in understanding and scampers off to join another group, Caelum starts over towards us.

"You are right. It wasn't him on my mind" I murmur as an answer, straightening up as Caelum stops in front of me, holding out his hand as if he expects me to hand him his quill. He clearly does not know anything about Slytherins. "Can I help you, Longbottom?"

He starts in surprise, as if he can't believe that I don't know what he wants. Ah, there is the famous Hufflepuff innocence. His confusion is gone, before I can even open my mouth with a snide comment, replaced by annoyance and a mild anger. "Can I have my quill back, Riddle? I thought we were only supposed to be summoning our own things." He answers, narrowing his eyes and dropping his hand.

"I wasn't aware that there was a rule against summoning something as innocent as a quill across the room, even if it isn't mine." I spin the quill between the tips of my fingers before pressing the feathered end to my lips in thought. Pursing my lips, I look at the Hufflepuff boy in front of me, at the courage and unwavering stand he takes, and the slowly building hatred in his eyes. "I am truly sorry."

"Liar" Malcolm coughs, raising a hand to hide his grin.

Caelum's glare worsens and he takes his quill from my fingers, dropping it into his messenger bag before repositioning it against his back. His eyes flash, and Malcolm places a hand on my arm in warning. "Do you think that it's funny, seeing how far you can push me?"

"Yes. I get off knowing that I ruined your day." The words escape in my famous drawl before I can stop them, the dark flash in Caelum's eyes the only real warning that I pushed the Hufflepuff too far, which is saying something considering I said barely anything. Fear, the first strike I've felt since getting here, slams into my heart.

His hand shoots out, wrapping around my wrist and dragging me forward, giving Professor Flitwick an apologizing look that the professor only nods to and goes back to inspecting some Slytherin's summoning spell.

"A teacher's pet, little Hufflepuff?" I dig, arching an eyebrow and allowing him to drag me through the halls. Well, if this isn't a dose of my daily amusement, I don't know what is. He really makes getting under his skin too easy, and far too amusing, if the grin on my face says anything.

He stops between two, stepping into the darker one, and shoves me against the wall. Caelum towers over me, a head and a half taller, his glare of utter and complete loathing sending ice through my veins, cold and fiery and scorching. "I don't know what you are playing at, and I don't care. Leave me alone."

I arch an eyebrow, letting him press me into the wall, letting him shove his forearm against my throat, letting him trap me against the wall with his arm as the rest of his body stands away from me, trying to get as far away as possible as he also leans in, glaring down into my eyes. I force my fear down, force my mask up, and press myself hard against the cold stones to stop my body from trembling. A good Slytherin will feel fear, will be scared, but will know how to hide it. That's what Tom said. That's what I will do. After all, he's just a Hufflepuff... "Why would I want to leave you alone when you react so wonderfully? Want to take a guess at what the rumors at lunch will be? Are we enemies, having fought before appearing before them? Are we secretly lovers?"

"Stop! Just stop! Bloody hell, don't you understand? I don't want you near me. I don't want anything to do with you! I know what your mother did, I saw it in the pensive, and I can see that same look in your eyes. You are a monster, and I want nothing to do with you!" His yell echoes off the silent walls as he violently jerks away from me, stumbling back until he bumps into the opposing wall. Pain splinches his face, followed by something surprising, but he hides it quickly, quicker than he hides the pain that his own words caused him. As if he had just tore his own heart out and handed it to me on a silver platter.

Anger flares through me, white hot, and I take a step towards him, drawing my wand. It trembles, along with my hand, glowing a soft red at the tip, reflecting the raging storm inside of me. How dare anyone speak of Bellatrix like that! "How dare you say that about my Mother! My Mother did nothing to you! She is a great woman!"

"Your mother tortured my grandparents into insanity! She caused them so much pain that they didn't even remember their own son!" Caelum screams, his hands clenching into fists, shaking as the skin around his knuckles turns white.

"She wasn't always like that, and she certainly never was when I was around! How do you think she got like that, Caelum Longbottom?" The words leave my lips, as cold as ice, cutting as clean as a knife through the both of us, but before he can open his mouth to tell me how little he thinks of me, how much of a monster I am, I walk away. I shove my wand back into my pocket and force myself to walk out of the hall, physically trembling with my contained anger. It is probably true, that my mother hurt others. Because I left. She had to make them feel her pain, understand her anger, lose what she lost, even if they don't remember it. And the only reason I didn't lash out and kill Caelum for calling my mother a monster? Because of that spark of fear in his eyes when I stepped forward. He dragged me out of class, pinned me to the call, and screamed at me, yet he stumbled away and looked at me in fear when I took a single step towards him. He was scared. Of _me_. _I've done nothing. _I _hurt_ him.


	9. Chapter 5- Theato and Amelia

_**Again. This chapter was written by both of us. We are getting tired of writing these little notes at the top, so, from now on, it is safe to assume that Emily has written all Amelia/Aidian/Joss/Maria parts, and I, Sheri, have written all of the Theato/Malcolm/Caelum parts. Jackson will be written by the both of us, depending on whose chapter it is. Got it?**_

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_Chapter 5 – Theato/Amelia_

_**~Amelia's POV~**_

Dazed, I stand outside the doors to the Great Hall, gazing at my hand. Did that just happen? Did Joss really just hold my hand for the length of Defense Against The Dark Arts?

"Oh Merlin." I mumble. Shaking my head, I enter the Great Hall, immediately noticing the animosity between the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. Only one Hufflepuff is over at the Slytherin table today, where normally there's a hoard. Despite what you would think, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs get on surprisingly well, despite their differences, since the Hufflepuffs are easy to get along with and the Slytherins enjoy poking fun at them. Noticing Caleb's black hair, I walk over to him, and sit down before noticing who he's sitting with. "Hey Caleb. Theato. Malcolm."

Malcolm's eyes brighten and he smiles, pushing a bowl of grapes towards me. "Amelia Malfoy, a pleasure, again. I heard you had your last class with the Gryffindors? Do you happen to know where Jackson Wood went?" Silence follows his words as we wait for the girl at his side to greet me, obnoxious in the loud hall. Having expected it, Malcolm sighs and elbows the straight backed Slytherin beside him. "Thea."

Theato's eyes flick up from her salad, focusing on me. The cold, calculating look from this morning is gone, replaced by a glint of sadness and a pained smile, painted on. Something about her changes, a waver in her face. "Good afternoon, Amelia Malfoy. Did you enjoy your Defence Against the Dark Arts class?"

I look at her strangely. "Yeah... it was great. Are you okay, Theato?"

Theato straightens further, her chin raising as if my words were a challenge. That flicker across her left cheekbone returns, roughing out her skin before disappearing once more. A scowl possesses her face as she gently lowers her fork, which was half raised with salad on it. "I, myself, am perfectly fine. If you are to worry about someone, I would suggest worrying about Caelum Longbottom. I seem to have frightened him earlier."

"Frightened him is an understatement" Malcolm mutters, shaking his head and nibbling at his sandwich daintily while eyeing Theato with a kind of respect mixed with weariness. "He dragged her out of class, furious, for Merlin known how long, and when she came back, she wouldn't tell me why. Ten minutes after that Caelum came back, as pale as a sheet, and she was perfectly fine."

Picking up her fork, Theato takes a bite of her salad and stares at the boy beside her for the duration that it takes her to chew and swallow before slowly lowering her fork again, contained and controlled. "It is none of your business what Caelum Longbottom and I discussed, Malcolm Flint."

"Actually, I believe it is" Malcolm answers, arching an eyebrow and dropping his sandwich on his plate. He angles himself to face her, his usually calm demeanor cracking with concern. "You know nothing about him. I, on the other hand, know loads about him. We might not have been friends, but we are certainly closer than acquaintances."

"Don't let Wood hear you say that, he might get jealous" Theato snaps, nodding her head towards the Gryffindor table where said boy sits, laughing cheerily along with something another Gryffindor said. Her eyes glitter maliciously, her voice lowering a few octaves as she leans towards the black haired Slytherin, snarling. "You asked where Jackson Wood was? He is across the hall from you, Flint. Were you too wrapped up thinking about Caelum to notice? Is this something I should tell the poor Gryffindor, that you are leading him on because the object of your true affection is out of your reach?"

Malcolm stands up, eyes flashing. "Don't talk about him like that. I would never do such a thing."

Theato rises, and though considerably shorter, her presence is stronger. Her hand slips into the pocket of her robes, gripping her wand in her pocket. "Then why the obsession with what I did to Caelum, Flint? It's getting a bit unhealthy, if you ask me."

"Theato." I say, walking around the table. She ignores me, stepping closer to Malcolm. I grab her wrist, and she turns on me, whipping out her wand and firing a jinx at me. I duck, and pull her after me, out of the Hall.

She snarls and tries to pull her arm out of mine, stumbling after me and shoving her wand back in her pocket. "Amelia Malfoy, let go of me this instant!" She snarls, yanking us to a stop just out of view of the Great Hall.

"I won't. I can't let you go back in there. You're going to end up cursing everyone and everything, and I'm not sure you want that on your conscience." I say, pulling her into the nearest empty classroom.

"My conscience has dealt with things far graver than cursing a few fellow students, I assure you." She stumbles again, but doesn't put up a fight as I close the door and finally let go of her wrist. She curses softly, rubbing the red marks on it and spinning to face me, eyes narrowed. "You will never drag me anywhere ever again. Am I clear, Amelia Malfoy? Or, shall I call you by another name?"

I stop short. "What are you talking about? I don't have another name. I mean, besides my middle name, but everyone has a middle name." I say, confused.

Theato stops cold, her every movement freezing as she stares at me, calculating something behind her dark eyes. The cold grin that slowly lifts the corners of her lips is frightening and purely Slytherin. "I bet you have another name" she whispers, taking a step towards me, hips swaying as she does. She cocks an eyebrow suggestively, the coldness still present. "I even bet that you prefer your other name." Something in her shifts again, the flicker starting at her cheekbone, but this time it doesn't stop. Her whole form starts changing, hair shortening into a boy's short, curly brown hair, still as messy, and her cheekbones sharpening even more than they already were, aristocratically masculine. Her skin darkens ever so slightly, appearance becoming less feminine and stronger, yet still as skinny and breakable as she was before. Her robes shift, adjusting to her new masculine body. Her eyes remain the same dark brown, staring at me with something akin to fear in them, fear that her judgement is wrong. When she opens her mouth to speak, her voice is lower, the voice of a boy's, to match her body, and it is sweet and soft and reassuring, every bit as convincing as her father must have been when he was in school. "Tell me, darling dearest, tell me your other name. I would so love to have another name to call you by."

I stare at her, unable to comprehend what is in front of me. It's… it's impossible. It can't happen. "How... how did you do that?" I stutter. This can't be happening. Impossible.

The boy in front of me shakes his head sadly, pressing his lips together. "Well, look at that. I guess I was wrong. That's the first time I've ever been wrong. Mother would be cursing me if she knew..." he mutters, dark eyes glistening with the pain I glimpsed earlier, at the table, for the briefest of moments when Theato first looked up at me. The boy gingerly reaches towards me, gently pushing me away from the door as if he fears that I will break. "Well, Amelia, I would ask you to keep this a secret, but I doubt you can, being a Malfoy and all. Besides, it's pointless of me to ask when I cannot change back, not until my emotions are under control, and I plan on walking out of this classroom, and people are bound to start wondering where the new boy came from. It'll only be a matter of time, really. I hid it so well in my own time, but… well, it doesn't matter if I hide it here, since I don't plan on staying long if I don't have to."

I reach my arm out and grab his arm. "Wait. Please."

He stops, turning his body towards me slightly, head bowed, hair obscuring his eyes. "What?"

I tighten my hold on his arm and close my eyes. The change is easy, a first for me. I feel my hair shortening, my torso and legs lengthening. My face changes, my nose growing longer, cheekbones less defined. My skirt feels uncomfortably short, my boots tight on my feet. I take a deep breath and open my eyes to the relief on the boy's face.

He smiles tight lipped but a light flickers in his eyes, something beautiful and bright and happy that I've never seen in Theato's eyes. Is... is it hope? "And what is your name?" he murmurs, slowly lowering his hand from the door handle and arching an eyebrow.

A breathy laugh escapes my mouth. "Aidian. And yourself?"

The boy in front of me grins wildly, the happiness from his eyes finally spreading throughout the rest of his body as he holds a hand out for me to shake. He tilts his head to the side with that silly grin still plastered to his face. "Emrys. It's… it's, well, excuse my crude language, but it is a bloody pleasure to meet you, Aidian."

Grinning, I reach out to take his hand. "I never thought I'd ever meet any one like me. This is... this is the greatest year I've ever had at Hogwarts, and it's only the first day."

Emrys clasps my hand tightly, shaking it once before dropping my hand and leaning back against the door. He laughs, reaching up and dragging a hand through his hair as he nods, completely agreeing with me. "There was nobody else like me back in my time. People like us are rare, we are only born every century or so, apparently. And to meet you... well..." Emrys shakes his head, unable to find the words to complete his sentence, but he looks up at me, grinning. "Amazing. Does it hurt when you change? What triggers your changes? Are you still... Amelia, as one person, or does your soul actually change as well?"

I lean against the wall beside him. "Wow. I had never actually thought about that before. I still feel like Amelia. Yet I know I'm not, and feel like my own person at the same time. It does hurt, but the amount of pain depends on the situation. Like, if I'm really emotional, the change is quick and almost painless. But if I have to force it, which is not something I do often, it's slow and agonizing. Mostly what triggers it is if something drastically changes in my life. Something that would cause great emotional upheaval. What about you?"

Emrys glances at me again, checking to see if I am still real, still Aidian, and shrugs his shoulders as if it is nothing. "It doesn't hurt when I change. I am just... so much a part of Theato that we change flawlessly, sometimes without even noticing. Usually shock triggers my changes. I can deal with anger, and pain, and sorrow, but shock is something I have never managed to completely control. If my body wants to change, and I stop it, then it hurts. It feels as if I am getting torn apart. I've had to do that a few times. And as for Theato and I... well... I am not even sure I can answer that question. I mean," he glances back at me and smirks, "I'm more fun when I am me, you understand? Changing into... me has always been when Theato can forget everything. Forget who her father is, forget her responsibilities, and homework, and missions, and just... relax. It's the only time she's ever just been herself, through me."

"That's actually kind of beautiful. Only able to be yourself through another person, it's kind of poetic. Me on the other hand... Well you've probably noticed Amelia isn't all that afraid to be herself. But, it does make me feel... I don't know, more free? Like, part of me isn't locked away anymore. I'm not hiding anything when I'm me. Whereas with Amelia I'm constantly in danger of exposing myself. And you can't really just go around telling people, can you? Even Joss was freaked out when I told him." I smile sadly, then brighten at my next thought. "You think we could play Quidditch matches as back-ups one game? That is, if you play Quidditch."

"I completely understand. Nobody knows you as Aidian, so there is nobody to disappoint, nobody to hide from. I never told anyone. Bellatrix was the only one who knew, well, other than my father, right before I left. But he read my mind, so I am not sure if that counts as me telling him or not..." Emrys sighs softly, rubbing his forearm. The thoughtful, calm expression that takes over his face is serene and peaceful, almost wistful. "I play Beater. I've actually always wanted to try playing Quidditch as Emrys... The only problem being that nobody in this school knows us, and, as Aidian and Emrys, we do not even officially attend Hogwarts. I'm sure, though, if we were to inform the captains of the teams about our... predicament, they might make an exception."

"I feel everything is going to be easier, now that we have each other to share this with." I grin. "I play Seeker. I actually tried flying on my broom as Aidian before, and it was harder than expected. As much as I'm used to this body on ground. In the air is a different story. And about the captain thing... I've just informed mine, and yours shouldn't be that hard to convince."

Emrys perks up, pushing away from the wall to look down at me curiously. "Who is the Slytherin captain?"

I grin up at him. "Caleb Black."

"Caleb Black..." Emrys looks thoughtful, a small smile working its way back onto his lips. "I supposed I could ask him. I doubt he would be fond of the idea though, he isn't too fond of me ever since I have him the idea that I might be his grandmother. Which," Emrys grins wryly, "I can assure you I am not. I do not do inter-family relationships."

"No wonder he's been looking at you so strangely!" I laugh. The sound of hundreds of feet could be heard outside the door as everyone goes to their next class. "Maybe we should go to class." I say, pulling my schedule from my bag. "I have potions, and then a free period. What about you?"

"I have double potions" Emrys answers without glancing at his sheet and grins wryly, trying hard to hide his excitement at the prospect of over two hours in the dungeons, brewing potions. He fails miserably, his excitement evident in the light bounce he does on the tips of his feet.

"So, I take it you like Potions?" I say, slightly laughing.

The small smile turns into a full blown grin and he nods, laughing and rubbing the back of his head. "You could say that. I would have asked to be a Potionmaster's apprentice back in my time if my mother would have allowed it. Anyways, I should fine Malcolm and apologize. I... might have been out of line. I'll meet you in the dungeons?"

I nod and he reaches for the door handle. "Wait! Emrys... maybe you should change back first."

He flashes me an embarrassed grin, body slowly shrinking back into Theato's, hair growing out again. "Good idea. Oh, and Aidian, you are one very attractive boy." She winks, grinning before pulling the door open and slipping out into the hallway without another word.

I laugh, shaking my head, and shrink back into Amelia. Giggling, I open the door and step into the hallway. Greatest first day ever.

* * *

_**~Theato's POV~**_

No matter how hard I try, I can't manage to wipe the smile from my face as I walk through the halls, back towards the Great Hall. Imagine, having to travel through him, having to leave everything I know, and be rewarded by finally finding the one person in centuries who can understand who I am and how it feels. Just.. imagine it. And Abraxas Malfoy's descendant, of all the people. But… she's someone who understands. Just… that hope in her, when she stepped towards me and stopped me from leaving the first time. She's hurt as much as I have hurt, been as lonely as I have been. She may have told her friends, my mother and father knew, but that is not the same as having someone actually know what it is like, the pain that we go through when we are surprised into change, the split-personality-yet-same-person thing, the conflicting emotions at having two bodies, two names, two beings, as one.

My search for Malcolm, along with my thoughts, come to a screeching halt in front of a dark side corridor. Two silhouettes of students are visible, one of their whispers having caught my attention. Stepping closer, I press myself against the wall, sticking around solely because that whisper sounded like Malcolm's annoyed hiss. Stepping closer, I stay hidden in the shadows, but the bodies become visible.

"You ignored me all day!" Jackson hisses, shoving the tall dark haired Slytherin's chest, making him stumble back. He glares, crossing his arms across his chest, and doesn't back down when the Slytherin steps closer again. "No good morning, nothing. You didn't even ask me how I am dealing with getting thrown into a different time!"

"I was trying to keep an eye on Theato" Malcolm answers calmly, yet something in him is strained. His whole body is strained, painfully tight, as if he's balancing on a tightrope and not sure if Jackson is about to knock him off.

Jackson rolls his eyes, snorting angrily and squaring his shoulders. His eyes flash back up to Malcolm's, lips pulling up in a snarl. "Yes, because you couldn't have sent me a letter."

"I came and found you" Malcolm reaches towards the Gryffindor, running a hand down his arms. He leans down, coming to eye level with Jackson, forehead creased in worry and regret. The emotions he hid from everyone else, the love for Jackson that's tearing him apart inside for having hurt the boy, shines clearly in his eyes. The sincerity he shows hurts. "Look, Jackson. I am sorry that I didn't come and see you right away this morning. I wasn't ignoring you, I promise. I couldn't get you off my mind; how you slept, how the Gryffindors were treating you, if you were alright. But you and I both know that we can't leave Theato alone. She isn't safe. You wouldn't forgive me if I let something happen to her, no matter who her parents are. She's just a girl, barely a woman, and she caused this, she accidentally brought us all here. If I were her, I would be pretty close to breaking. And there are people in this time that would hurt her if they found out who her father is. No matter how much I worried about you, I know you are strong enough to deal with… with all of this."

Jackson's hand shoots out, quicker than Malcolm can dodge. His fingers knot in Malcolm's robes, yanking the boy closer as he goes up on his tiptoes, kissing the surprised Slytherin. "Don't ever ignore me again, Flint" Jackson whispers against his lips, kissing him one last time before pulling away. He turns around, walking out of the hall without a glance back to the blushing Slytherin he is leaving behind.

Malcolm stands, frozen, in the middle of the corridor, staring after the Gryffindor. Trying not to scare him, I step out of the shadows and arch an eyebrow, grinning. "You know, if I am interfering with your time with your boyfriend, you can always leave me behind."

"Th-Theato" his eyes widen in surprise and his blush darkens. He shoves his hands in his pockets, biting his lower lip. "It's not-"

"It is like that." I smile wryly and nod towards the main corridor. I step towards him, tugging his hand out of his pocket and entwining our fingers, towing him out of the corridor and towards the dungeons. His hand is warm against mine, warming my cold skin. "Come on, if we don't hurry we'll be late for class. And… I am sorry about what I said before. I… I can see that you would never use Jackson, and that I was wrong for suggesting so."

Malcolm squeezes my hand, walking beside me. He smiles softly, his cheeks finally settling back to their normal colour. "I figured as much. You've had a lot going on, yesterday and today."

"You are remarkably emotional and forgiving for a Slytherin." Is my answer, making his grin widen.

"I stumbled across some information while you and Amelia… had your… whatever that was. Apparently, Quidditch try-outs are this Saturday. Gryffindor is at 1pm, Ravenclaw is at 3, Hufflepuff is at 5, and Slytherin is at 7. I plan on trying out for Beater."

Excitement tingles at the base of my spine, bringing a soft giggle up as I bump into his side. Quidditch. With Amelia. And Malcolm. This will be great. "As do I. Wouldn't it be fun if we were the beaters. Nobody would stand a chance." I glance at him and grin. He shakes his head, laughing at the look I give him, and squeezes my hand again.

The rest of our walk, down the stairs and into the dungeons, taking a left to the potion's lab, is in a comfortable silence. When we enter the potions lab, however, is a different case. Caelum, sitting with a group of Hufflepuffs at a far table, watches me with something curious in his eyes, not the usual hate but… more of an observation look. Malcolm immediately lets go of my hand and slips between the benches and towards Jackson, who claimed a table just for them. I offer Jackson a smile, figuring it can't hurt to be civil to Malcolm's boyfriend, and Jackson smiles back uncertainly before turning to the approaching Slytherin. Amelia waves me over, which I accept and slowly head towards her. The most disturbing reaction, however, is the Professor's. He jerks in surprise at the sight of me, dropping his wand into the potion. His blond hair, the trademark of a Malfoy, is greying at the temples, and he watches me, paling, as if he's seen a ghost. Or, well, a ghost of someone he never thought he'd see again. I raise an eyebrow, curious, but sit down next to Amelia and her cauldron. "Is our Professor related to you in any way?"

"My grandfather, Draco Malfoy" she answers, flipping her potions book open to the right page before bending over to read the instructions to the Blood Replenishing potion we are supposed to make today, to see where each duo group of students' mastery of potions level is.

Trying hard not to smile, I lean over and place my messenger bag at our feet, reading the instructions over her shoulder. Laughing softly, I pluck the book from between her fingers and drop it back into her bag, smirking. "If we follow those instructions, our potion won't work out. Add a bat's spleen in after ten minutes of stirring clockwise the other ingredients." Amelia looks at me, eyebrows raised. I shrug, walking to the cabinets to get the things we will need. "Like I said, I am very good at potions, and those books have not improved since my time. Most students fail because those textbooks as so terribly wrong."

Amelia lets out a surprised laugh, drawing the attention of the professor and the surrounding groups, but she doesn't seem to mind. She comes over, grabbing the ingredients I tell her to, not questioning when I deviate from the ingredients listed on the chalkboard.


	10. Chapter 6 - Amelia and Theato

_Chapter 6 – Amelia Malfoy/Theato Riddle_

The first week of classes rushes by, full of hanging out with Theato and Joss. Now it's Saturday and only one thing is on my mind now. Quidditch.

"Alright, let's get started. Beaters to the left, Chasers to the right, and Keepers by the goals." I shout at the mass of people in front of me. They split up, a couple of second years whacking each other with their brooms. Shaking my head, I mount my broom, and push off the ground. Rising smoothly into the air, I look around. Spotting my friends in the stands, I grin and wave. Joss waves back, as do Malcolm, Jackson, and Caleb. Theato on the other hand, is staring at me intently. I look at her strangely, and she motions for me to fly. Confused, but reluctant to be jinxed, I lean forward and shoot off towards the goal posts. I hear Joss cheering and look at him. He is on his feet and shouting, "Go, 'Lia!" Shaking my head, I shout back, "I am already on the team, you bowtruckle! Cheer for them!" Pointing at the three groups of people beneath me. He turns and starts cheering of them, till Casey smacks him on the back of his head and he sits down.

"Okay, two Beaters, in the air!" I shout, and slowly, two of them rise from the ranks, bats in hand. I fly back and land atop a goal.

"You each get three chances. The one who knocks me off the most, advances. Ready?" They both nod. "Okay. Release the Bludger!" I shout, and a black ball comes whizzing up seconds later. The first kid zooms up, and hits it hard towards me.

"So, I got my team. That's a good thing." I say to Thea, groaning as she pokes my shoulder, grinning.

"Though maybe not the best methods of getting them." She laughs. Glaring, I am about to retort when Joss walks in. My glare is gone in seconds, and I'm smiling. Theato shakes her head at me, and walks out of the hospital wing, bumping Joss with her shoulder on the way out.

"So, your Quidditch methods are very... unique." He says, walking over to where I was laying on a bed.

I sigh. "Yeah. You could say that."

"Or, you could say completely idiotic, how are you a Ravenclaw?" He says, sitting on the end of my bed.

"Wow. You know it's bad when a Gryffindor tells you it was idiotic." I joke. I grin at him, but he looks at me seriously.

"I just didn't enjoy watching you put yourself in danger like that, and not being able to do anything about it."

I look down, suddenly interested in the bloodstains on my pants. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it affected you that way."

"Amelia." I look up. He's smiling in this completely adorable way that should against the law. "Now you know. Please don't do it again. I don't think I could handle that."

"Ah, man. There go my plans next weekend." I say, giggling. He shakes his head, laughing and looks back at me. I take in every little detail about his face. The way his dark brown hair falls over his forehead. The small cluster of freckles on his left cheek. The line of his jaw, the curve of his lips. His emerald green eyes, flecked with hints of blue, the way the light up when they look at me. He has a single freckle on edge of his jaw on the right. His chin covered in a light layer of stubble. I really want to run my hand over it, but that would be too far. He doesn't like me that way. I lean towards him a little, and he does too.

I can feel his breath on my face. It smells like cherries.

Pulling back, I say, "I should go change."

Joss is staring at his feet, nodding. "Okay. See you at the Slytherin Tryouts?"

I give a small smile and nod. "Yeah. I wouldn't miss Theato flying for the world."

With that, I walk out of the hospital wing, leaving Joss sitting on my empty bed.

_**~Theato's POV~**_

Mounting my broom at Caleb's command, I glance towards the stands. Joss and Amelia climb the stairs, taking their places on Jackson's right. I smirk when Amelia gives me a thumbs up, and wink at her. Her… well… not-quite-boyfriend-but-not-quite-just-friend glowers, but Amelia just blushes and giggles. The Hufflepuff team, along with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's, occupy the other stands, eager to watch us Slytherins. It will be their only time to see us fly, all of the possible team members together, without being accused of cheating or spying on our practice.

"Are you ready, Riddle?" Malcolm hisses, drawing my attention to the Beater beside me. He leers playfully, his crooked teeth making him look all the tougher and all the more Slytherin, much like the Flint I know back in my day. "I heard your father was so scared of flying on a broom that he invented his own flying charm."

"I heard your grandfather was so ugly that not even the other Slytherins could stand to be around him. Oh, wait, I didn't hear that, I saw it with my own eyes. Man, was he an ugly bloke" I retort, rolling my eyes as he snorts and flies ahead to hover in front of Caleb and the other three try-outs for Beater, none of whom look amused.

Jackson visibly twitches, having heard our little jokes, apparently not understanding our very Slytherin humour.

Caleb claps his hands, attracting our attention back to the captain. "Alright. Here's how it will go. Since Amelia's… little stunt with the Ravenclaw's have gotten us banned from testing Beaters on people, I will have you all aim the Bludger at the Snitch."

"Hitting the Snitch with a Bludger? Are you mad, Caleb?" One of the boys complains, eyes wide. He shakes his head, glancing at the Bludger, flying violently mere centimeters from our skulls, and then to the tiny golden Snitch, just above Caleb's head. "That's impossible!"

Slytherins. Never. Learn. Do they? Nothing is impossible if one trains hard enough. Before Caleb can answer, I raise a few feet above the group, directly in the path of the Bludger. "Hey Flint, your grandfather was so bad at Quidditch that he couldn't ride a broom properly, even while on his back." Malcolm flushes a lovely shade of pink at my words, catching the innuendo, and I can't resist winking before raising my bat. The Bludger, sensing a new target, turns and bolts towards me. Caleb raises his voice in warning, but I swing right before the Bludger hits me, sending it flying in the other direction, a few inches in front of where I last saw the Snitch. The soft ping of the Bludger hitting something silences whatever Caleb said, and when I look down at the group below me, they gape, wide eyed. "It isn't impossible so much as difficult. Think you can best that, Malcolm?"

The boys gape at me, mouths hanging open. I smirk and lower myself, hovering next to Caleb. "Was that good enough to get me a position on your team?"

"Instantly" Caleb promises, his initial shock slowly wearing off, replaced by a possessive grin and a twinkle in his eyes. "I think I'll have you shadowing the Seekers of whomever we are against. With that aim, they won't stand a chance."

"Thank you, Captain Black, for your high praises." I mock bow, bumping my broom into his. He grabs the end of my broom playfully, tugging me closer and elbowing me in the stomach.

"Keep up that sarcasm, Miss Riddle, and I may be forced to reconsider" he jibes, grabbing my arm when I lurch precariously, righting me.

Gripping my broom with both hands, I grin at him and brush his hand off my arm. "I'll just have to try harder to conceal it, then."

Malcolm doesn't manage to hit the Snitch with the Bludger. In fact, none of the other competitors do, all exhausting Caleb's patience as he flies between watching them and watching the Chasers and Keepers show off. Malcolm, however, does manage to come the closest, hitting the Budger close enough to brush the Snitch's wings. The rest of those incompetent fools come nowhere near. Caleb picks us both, obviously, to be his Beaters. Like he had any other choice to begin with. Along with us, he chooses sixth years as the other two chasers besides himself, and a brutish fifth year as keeper, a boy with more muscle than brain, but swift movement. All in all, we have a pretty decent team. We'll sure give the other houses a hard time. If all else fails, Malcolm and I can just hit enough of them off their brooms to make them forfeit the game.

"Did I surpass my grandfather, Riddle?" Malcolm asks, landing beside me on the sand of the pitch and bumping his shoulder into mine.

"I'd say you gave him a run for his sickles." I leer at the tall boy beside me, body still thrumming with the endorphins of Quidditch. "You are much better at riding a broom than he ever was. It must be all that experience you've had. Practice with Jackson often?"

Malcolm flushes and snatches my broom, one I borrowed from the school since my broom was woefully outdated. He tosses it to Caleb, who catches it and sends us a wink, proud of his chosen team, and sets them in the Quidditch storage. Malcolm waves to him before turning back to me, his blush completely gone. "Or it could be that I am an amazing Quidditch player?"

I don't have time to answer with yet another snarky remark, because just as I open my mouth Jackson streaks past me, throwing his arms around Malcolm's waist. "You've gotten better since the last time I saw you fly" he murmurs into Malcolm's shoulder.

Malcolm snickers, glancing around at the small audience starting to pool around us, and he winks at me before hugging the boy back. "Don't say it like you are surprised."

Jackson pulls back, brushing his robes into place before turning his back on Malcolm, am amused smile gracing his lips. "Of course I am surprised. You Slytherins usually can't do anything right." He sends me a victorious look as he walks past me, towards his new Gryffindor friends. "Keep improving and you might even have a chance against me."

"Keep believing that, Wood" I shoot back, sending Malcolm an amused glance before looking up at the stands. Amelia and Joss are gone, probably having gone inside already, the excitement of the Slytherin try-out over. "I told Malfoy I would meet her at the entrance to the Ravenclaw dorm after practice. I'll see you at dinner?"

He nods, watching Jackson's retreating figure with a smirk. "Seven sharp."

Shaking my head, I flick my hand, watching the Slytherin jump and yelp indignantly, drawing a glare from him as he glances around, looking for a wand. I struggle to keep the smirk off of my face, but Malcolm, with his great deduction skills, flits his gaze back to me and narrows his eyes.

"Don't have too much fun. We do have practice next week." I smirk and turn away from the Slytherin boy as Caleb snickers, covering it with a cough. Slipping away before Malcolm can draw his wand and hex me back, I can't help the laugh that bubbles through my lips as I make my way up the hill, back towards the castle. Malcolm and Jackson are entirely too much fun to bug. I fear that I might drive Malcolm insane before this year is up, or before I find a way back to my own time. He is so closed, so… quiet. He isn't used to my type.

A soft giggling draws my attention to a group of girls sitting on the steps into Hogwarts, all sending me subtle glances that really are not as subtle as they think. I make my way up the stairs, taking them one at a time, graceful like the Riddle heir I am, and nearly make it past them before their whispers reach my ears.

"I can't believe that she is daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange. How could the Headmistress actually let her stay here?" A red haired Gryffindor whispers from behind me, a hard edge to her voice.

One of the other girls makes gagging noises. "I heard her father was Voldemort. Can you imagine that? It's gross!"

"How do you think she felt when the man who murdered her father tried to arrest her in Hogsmeade?" Another chips in, voice sharp and high, not seeming to care that I am only a few feet away, frozen in the doorway to the castle. They probably don't even see me.

"How do you think Harry felt seeing her? I mean, her mother did kill his godfather." One girl murmurs, followed by a chorus of 'poor Harry'.

The endorphins from Quidditch rush through the pounding in my head, through the tightness in my muscles and soreness in my bones. It isn't just from practice, no, it's my protection. From them. From everyone. Harry Potter was the one who killed my father. My mother killed his godfather. To them, I am a monster. One they would willingly hurt. Breathing in deeply, I clench my fists and hold back, trembling violently in response. Slipping away as quietly as I can, I make my way through the halls, past staircases and broom closets.

"Hey! Riddle!" The voice that calls me from somewhere behind sends ice through my veins.

I duck into the nearest hallway, feeling the tightness in my chest constrict my lung. The change sweeps over me before I can stop it, right in the middle of an empty hallway. The pain recedes quickly, letting oxygen back into my lungs. I turn around slowly, readjusting my Quidditch robes as a brown haired boy skids to a stop in front of me, eyes wide.

Caelum stares at me, panting slightly from having to run down the hall, a blush creeping up his neck. "O-oh. Sorry. I was-"

"Looking for Theato Riddle? I can tell." I arch an eyebrow, the extra inch of height I now have making me a head taller than the Hufflepuff in front of me. I give him my best regal look, tilting my chin up and looking down at him. Impatience heats my body, sending unpleasant tingles through me. I need to be alone. Now, not later. I don't have time for this. "Unfortunately, I am not her."

"I swear I saw her come down this way." Caelum glances behind me, eyebrows furrowing in confusion before he looks back to me. A shy smile spreads over his face and he holds out a hand, taking another step towards me. "I'm Caelum Longbottom, by the way."

"She did. You just missed her" I answer with a wry grin, looking down at his hand for a moment before back up at him. "Emrys. You don't honestly believe I will shake your hand, do you?"

Caelum blinks, taken aback, eyebrows furrowing. "Well Emrys, it's usually what people do when they introduce themselves."

I snort, taking a step towards him, making him back a step back and bump into the wall, eyes wide. Leaning in, I place my hands on either side of his head, caging him in. "You are a Hufflepuff. You tremble at the slightest discomfort. And on top of that, you were chasing the daughter of the woman that you hate down the hall. Does any of that say that you are worthy of shaking my hand?"

Caelum shifts, uncomfortable, and narrows his gaze on me. His eyes harden, posture stiffening. "I was trying to be polite. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to go."

Laughter bubbles past my lips, cruel and cold. "Go? Now why would I let you go? I was just starting to have fun."

Caelum places his hands on my chest, giving me a shove that barely moves me. "I promised I would meet up with Jackson Wood, Malcolm Flint and Joss Potter-"

"Wood and Flint, hmm? Tell me, do you see the way they look at each other, Caelum Longbottom?" I lean closer, skimming my nose against his cheekbone, sniggering when he tries to jerk his head away from mine. I follow his movement, brushing our noses together, leering. "Does it bother you, two men being intimate with each other?"

"As long as they are happy-"

"So accepting of you, Caelum Longbottom, so sweet. The perfect Hufflepuff, aren't you?" I coo, giving him one last vicious sneer before pressing my lips to the corner of his, murmuring against his skin. "Am I attractive, Caelum? Would you like me to distract you for the night?"

Caelum's fist comes up, knocking me in the jaw. It isn't a hard punch, considering the small amount of room he has to swing, but it tilts me off kilter and sends me stumbling back a few steps. "Don't ever do that again." He shoves me further away for good measure before turning and stomping back down the hall and out of sight.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, the tension slipping from my body, I slip out of the deserted hallways and into the nearest empty classroom I can find, shutting the door behind me before unclenching my fists. My body folds itself back into Theato, a sharp pain arching up my spine before it numbs out, leaving me myself again. The pain, the headache, it all comes rushing back, taking my breath away. Sobs tear their way out of my throat. My robes are too constricting, too loose, too covering. I growl as tears build in my eyes, clouding my vision and staining my cheeks as I tear at the Slytherin robes, dropping them to the floor before straightening up and wrapping my arms around my waist, collapsing in on myself. It's so much more freeing in just my tank top and leggings, but it makes me feel vulnerable.

My mother murdered an orphan's godfather, out of spite. My father's name is used as scorn, something laughed over nowadays. What happened to my family? What went wrong? How did they become so… dark? They were so perfect, striving for such honorable goals, unstoppable. How could they have done all that they are accused of?

The door creaks open, startling me into tightening my hold around myself. "Theato?" A soft, tentative voice comes from behind me.

"Leave me alone, Longbottom" I hiss, wiping the tears off my face before straightening up and spinning around to glare at him. Why is he still looking for me, even after the episode with Emrys? Does he come to gloat again? Or tell me how much of a monster my parents were? Or, better still, does he come to tell me how much of a monster I am?

He blinks, shutting the door behind himself and slowly coming forward. He must notice my fragility, the tear marks on my cheeks and my trembling body, because he holds up his hands and takes a hesitant step towards me. "I heard what those girls said."

"Did you come to gloat, then? To tell me how bad I am, how you wished I was never born, since I share the same blood as a crazy woman and a Dark Lord?" Snarling, I take a step towards him, leaning down and drawing my wand from one of my black boots. "Because if that is why you are here, then I really must warn you that I am not in the mood to play with you."

"That isn't why I came" Caelum whispers, shaking his head and holding his hands a bit higher. He stops, though, and watches me nervously, anger shimmering in his eyes.

Snapping, I take the final step towards him, pressing the tip of my wand into his neck. "Then why did you come?"

He tilts his chin back, glaring down at me with absolute hatred. "To apologize."

I blanch, staring at him, wand lowering as a calm sort of rage settles over me. "This is some sort of sick trick, Longbottom. I didn't think you had it in you."

"You know what, Riddle? If you don't believe me, then maybe I was right. Maybe you are like your mother" he hisses, knocking the tip of my wand away and reaching down into his robes to draw his own wand, eyes flashing with intention.

I growl, anger flaring, speaking the words of a curse from Bellatix as I slash my wand at his chest. "Sanguine ortus!"

Caelum stops, wand half drawn, eyes wide and mouth popping open in surprise for a moment before he screams, crumpling to the ground as something in him cracks sickeningly, followed by another, and another, blood pouring from his mouth.

Fear shoots through me, making me slip my wand back into my boot. "C-Caelum…?" I whisper, stepping towards where he collapsed and kneeling down beside him. Something in him cracks, making his body jerk, nearly causing me to fall over. What did I do to him?

Another guttural scream shatters the classroom as he claws at the floor, shaking, blood pooling around him at an increasingly fast pace. He jerks towards me, blood matted hair tangling on his forehead, eyes tightly shut in pain. Another snapping sound, and this time, I watch helplessly as his collarbone shatters beneath his skin, followed by his shoulder, causing purple bruises to quickly form and more blood to leak through his bruised lips.

"Help!" My scream matches his, forming coherent words. Panic rises in me, threatening to choke me, as I watch him helplessly. My heart throbs against my ribs, trying to force its way out as pain unlike any I have felt before builds in my chest. I glance at the door through tear-filled eyes, and it flies open. My hands hover over him, begging me to help, but I don't know how. I don't know! I never read what the curse did, I never read how to reserve it, and gods is he bleeding out. Everywhere, his blood is everywhere. "Help, please!"


	11. Chapter 7 - Theato Riddle

_Chapter 7 – Theato Riddle_

I hesitate, leaning one hand on the hospital bed. What... what will he think, if he wakes up and I am still here? Will he kick me out, yell at me, be disgusted with me, or try to curse me? Will he push me away? Yell for the nurse? Call me all of the bad names he can think of? I deserve whatever he decides to do to me, and more.

His drawn out groan of pain knocks the breath from my chest, tears springing to my eyes as my gaze is drawn back to the bloody bandage wrapped around his chest. Most of his bones broke. Madam Pomfrey said that it was too dangerous to try to heal the wounds with him asleep. When has it ever been too dangerous to heal a patient while he is not awake? Is that not when it is safest, for large wounds like this? Apparently, whatever my curse did do him, it needs to be healed while he is able to tell Madam Pomfrey about any discomforts.

Shaking my head, I make up my mind and swallow down my fears, climbing onto the hospital bed beside Caelum's broken body, slowly sliding beneath the blankets, careful not to disturb him. Resting my head on the pillow next to his I shuffle onto my side, slowly bringing a hand up to brush away rogue strands of hair off his forehead. I never meant to hurt him. He found me at the wrong time, pushed me at the worst moment. I... the curse... I didn't even know what it would do to him, it was just something I read in Bellatrix's library over the summer. It… it was just the first thing I thought of.

"Miss Riddle!" Madam Pomfrey's shrill whisper assaults me as she slips around the white sheet hiding us from the rest of the world, eyes narrowed in disapproval. "If you are here to terrorize Mister Longbottom further, I would suggest you leave."

The hazel haired boy beside me doesn't stir as I pull my hand away from him and press it over his heart. It beats softly, feebly, weak from the blood loss and the excruciating pain I put him through. It breaks my heart. If he were awake, or semi-conscious, he would shove me off the bed right now, yell at me, tell me just how bad I am: that is bad enough. His silence is worse. It speaks legions, proves every word he has uttered to me. I told him that he was wrong, and I proved him right. I don't want him to be right, I don't want to be someone bad. I just wanted him to leave me alone. Shaking my head, I glance up at her. "I can't leave him."

Something on her face softens and she nods, placing a vial of clear liquid on the bedside table, next to the flask of pumpkin juice. "The pain will rouse him soon. When he wakes, give him this potion. It will numb the pain. Then come and get me right away. Am I clear?"

"Yes."

She nods curtly and slips back out of the curtains, pulling them shut behind her.

Laying my head back down next to Caelum's, I run a hand through his hair again, chewing my bottom lip.

"I am sorry, Caelum Longbottom. So very sorry. I… please believe me, I didn't mean for this to happen. I just… I just wanted you to shut up. I… I couldn't stand it, seeing you, after all that you said, looking at me with pity." My voice cracks as my vision blurs, tears sliding down my cheeks to stain the pillows. "Why did you have to pity me? Why couldn't you have just left me alone?"

Beside me, Caelum stirs ever so slightly, fingers clenching in the sheets. He groans softly, turning his head away from me, pain flitting across his face. "You were upset. What… kind of person would I have been… if I didn't try to help?"

I can't help the relieved laugh that forces its way through me and I don't dare to move in fear of jolting him. "A sensible one."

The corner of his lip twitches up and his eyes open in slits, glancing around. Struggling to sit up, he gasps in pain, face paling.

Sitting up, I press a hand to his shoulders, forcing him back down before leaning over and grabbing the vial of clear potion from the table. Uncorking it, I hold it in front of his face so that he doesn't have to move to see it. "Here, take this. Madam Pomfrey dropped it off a few minutes ago, to help with the pain."

He nods, and lets me slip my hand behind his head to tilt it up, pressing the vial to his lips. He drinks it gratefully before collapsing back on the bed. "Merlin's beard, it hurts. What did you do to me, Theato?"

"Broke most of the bones in your body and punctured a few organs."

He coughs out a laugh, wincing. "That's all?"

"I might have also dragged you halfway to the hospital wing after you passed out." Slipping off the bed gently, I grab his hand and give it a soft squeeze before slipping out of the curtains. Waving at Madam Pomfrey, who sits in her office and doesn't notice me, I sigh. Jogging over, I knock twice her open door. "Madam Pomfrey, he's awake."

She glances up at me, surprise evident on her face. She shuffles the papers on her desk before grabbing her wand and slipping past me, towards Caelum's bed. "Already? I thought it would take him longer."

I tail her back to his bed, where she stops just outside of the curtains and looks back at me, lips pursed. "Are you certain you want to be here for this? It will not be pleasant."

"I'm positive." The words leave my lips without question, without hesitation, and Madam Pomfrey smiles wryly.

"Of course you would. Minerva did say you never let anyone you hurt go through the healing alone," she mutters, shaking her head and pulling the curtain back. "Take his hand. It is the only comfort you can give him. Everything else is bruised or broken. And try to keep him calm, it'll make my work faster."

Nodding, I slip to Caelum's side and slip my hand into his. Meeting his pained eyes, I give him a reassuring, if not a little uncertain, smile and squeeze his hand again. "Just a bit of healing and then it'll all be over."

He nods and looks at Madam Pomfrey. "Make it as quick as you can."

She nods and gives me one final look before waving her wand over Caelum and murmuring a healing spell. The same sickening snapping sound from when I cast my curse echoes through the hospital wing, matching Caelum's scream as he latches onto my hand, squeezing until pain shoots through my body.

"Hold him still, Theato!" Pomfrey hisses, muttering another spell, followed by more snaps and another drawn out scream, ending in a choked moan as Caelum arches up, trying to get away from the healing spell.

Squeezing his hand, I let it go and reach my arms over his chest to force his shoulders back onto the bed, leaning over him and glaring down into his pained eyes. "Calm down, Caelum. It's almost over, just hold on a few more minutes." He jerks against my hold, eyes snapping open to stare at me, filled with pain and a misty fog as slow recognition lights his eyes. "Stop struggling, Longbottom!"

He clamps his jaw shut tightly, lips turning white with his effort to hold his screams in as another healing spell falls over him, snapping bones back in place. His body jerks on the bed, against my holds, forcing me to nearly tumble off the bed. I barely manage to keep my hold on his shaking body as he tilts his head back, his collarbone snapping into place. His scream forces its way out of his throat, jarring me off of him.

Scrambling back up onto the bed, I lung across his shoulders and force my full body weight onto him, successfully pinning him down and stopping another attempt to arch away from the healing spells. Moisture clouds my vision as he stares up at me through narrowed slits, hissing out a pained breath. "Caelum, control yourself!"

"It's quite alright, Theato" Pomfrey whispers, a cool hand falling onto my shoulder. She looks down at me tiredly, sweat creasing her eyebrows, as she slips her wand into a pocket on her apron. "I am done. All of his bones have been reset and mended, and the bruising should be gone in a few hours. He will be sore for a day or two, but that is to be expected. The next time you two decide to duel, try not to use lethal curses."

Guilt rushes through me, suffocating and asphyxiating, but Caelum relaxes underneath me and slips his hand into mine, squeezing. I manage to muster up a smile for her, extracting myself from Caelum, all of me except the hand he holds tightly. "I will try to restrain myself."

"I suppose that is all I can ask of you. You may stay with him for however long you like, but let him get some rest, dear. He deserves it." With her words, she offers me a weary, fatigued smile before patting my shoulder and slipping back out of our sanctuary surrounded in curtains.

I straighten my clothes and fix my hair, reaching in my pocket to check that my wand is still with me. I find anything to do that doesn't include looking at the Hufflepuff boy laying in pain on the cot next to me.

Caelum's voice forces me to a standstill. "Theato, look at me."

Huffing, I glance up at him, narrowing my eyes at his efforts to sit up. Extracting my hand from his, I force him back down onto the bed and reach across, for the glass of water. Holding it to his lips, I force him to drink all of it before replacing it on the bedside table and stepping away. "You should get some rest, Longbottom. You look like you are about to faint."

"Your concern is truly touching." Caelum rolls his eyes, coughing. He reaches for a tissue from the bedside table, wiping the flecks of blood off of his lips. He looks at it with distaste before dropping the handkerchief onto his bandaged chest, for later use. "I don't think I want to sleep. If I close my eyes now, fear that when I awake you will be nothing but a memory, a ghost, and I won't get to talk to you again."

Heat rushes to my cheeks, no doubt painting them an embarrassing pink, and I can feel the change in my body stir. I swallow the temptation down and set about fixing Caelum's blanket, which he crumpled and kicked off while being healed. "If you refuse to sleep, there is a herd of angry students waiting outside the hospital wing, to check on you and make sure you are ok and to flay me alive."

"Would you allow them to see me now?" Caelum watches me, no judgement in his eyes, nothing but curiosity. He reaches down, offering to take the blankets from me, but I swat his hands away, annoyed.

Something hot boils in my stomach at the thought of letting the others dote on Caelum. No doubt Malcolm and Jackson would take over, not let me near him. No, that cannot happen. It is my job to take care of him. "No." The answer comes out sharper than I meant. I cough to cover it, pulling the sheets up to his chest slowly to give myself a moment to compose before looking back up at him, scowling. "Both for your sake and for mine. You would embarrass yourself if they saw you like this: weak, pathetic, and disgusting. And I would be to blame."

He smiles wryly, the flicker of something soft in his eyes, as if he knows a secret that I do not, as if he just learned something important about me that I myself am not even aware of. "I thought so."

I roll my eyes, fighting the smile that tries to make its way onto my lips. "Then stop arguing and get some rest, Longbottom. I won't say it again."

"You look about as tired as I am" he shoots back, grinning without restraint. He shuffles on the bed, wincing in pain, yet the colour is already returning to his skin, making him look healthier, less likely to collapse into a cold corpse. "I'll make you a deal."

I arch an eyebrow curiously, propping my hip against the edge of his bed and crossing my arms across my chest. "As long as it involves you resting and healing, I am listening."

"I will consent to sleep for as long as you'd like me to if…" He grins up at me, moving over until he is squished to one side of the cot, leaving a space beside him comfortable enough for me to slip into, "you get some rest too, and promise to be here when I wake up." He holds up a hand before I can process his words, flipping the corner of the sheets up. His grin fades to something with more concern. "Before you argue, you look about as bad as I feel, and probably almost as bad as I look, and I'd bet my gold that you are just as, if not more, tired than I am."

My hand reaches for my hair self-consciously, feeling its texture. It isn't greasy. And my face doesn't feel oily, either. How could I possibly look as bad as he does? He, covered in a thin layer of sweat that he accumulated while setting his bones? He, with his messy hair that still has traces of dried blood in it. He, who flinches in pain every time he moves. "You expect me to get in the same bed as you? You, all sweaty, and bloody, and gross?"

"You were in it before" he answers, patting the spot next to him while making himself more comfortable, a soft pink tinge to his cheeks, making him appear all the healthier. "It's probably the only way I will get any sleep. Otherwise, I will just worry about you leaving and being cursed to a bloody pulp by Jackson."

Shaking my head, I uncross my arms and glare at him darkly, trying to conceal my emotions, the confusion and embarrassment and… something… I don't quite recognize. "Alright, if it'll get you to shut up, then I'll do it" I sigh in defeat, kicking my boots off and setting them up neatly as I crawl onto the bed beside him, slipping under the blanket. He turns onto his side to face me, opening his mouth to say something. I hold up a hand, pursing my lips. "Ah ah ah, what did I say? I don't want to hear your voice, I want to see you asleep."

He sighs softly, a smile grazing his lips, and threads his fingers through mine before closing his eyes and relaxing into the bed, head sinking into the pillow. His breaths even out quickly, turning from shallow and pained to deep and soft. His fingers lose their tight hold on mine, relaxing into a soft embrace. All of the pain, the agony, the misfortune that plagued his face and his body before melts away, leaving the innocent, beautiful Hufflepuff boy that I remember first seeing, minus the tension from fear. He seems almost relaxed by my presence now, instead of scared stiff by me. It's… different.

I wait a few minutes, letting myself relax into bed next to him, allowing myself to absorb his warmth and comfort, that he offers readily, before slowly detangling my hand from his and pushing off of the bed. I climb off as gently as I can, so as to not rouse Caelum, and slip back into my boots. Though I would love to rest next to the boy, to relax and let all of my guilt wash away, and get a decent night's sleep for the first time since arriving in this future, I would rather deal with the angry mob waiting just outside of the hospital wing first.

Releasing my charm from the doors, a charm that I put up earlier to keep visitors out, I place a hesitant hand on the door and prepare myself. I can hear Malcolm and Joss arguing about something, but other than that, it doesn't sound like the are readying to curse me. Taking a deep breath, I pull the door open ever so slightly and step into the crack, composing my face into a mask of indifference. I focus on the first person I see. "It is a bit late to be standing outside the hospital wing, is it not, Amelia?"


	12. Chapter 8 - Joss and Amelia

_Praeterito Futurum_

_Chapter 8 – Joss and Amelia_

_**~Joss's POV~**_

"Hey. Is he doing any better? Will she let you in?" I ask, walking up to Amelia and Malcolm outside the hospital wing.

"No. She still refuses to let anyone see him. I don't see why, it's not like they are close. I've only seen her with him once. But I do kind of understand why she stays in there. She feels responsible." Amelia says, leaning against the wall next to the double door of the hospital wing.

"Responsible for what?" I ask, confused.

Malcolm looks at me like I'm an idiot. "She cursed him, you moron. Wouldn't you feel responsible if you cursed Amelia and she fell into a coma?"

The thought immediately makes my heart stop. If I ever did that to Amelia, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. But Theato doesn't even know Caelum. Which is what I tell Malcolm.

"Are all Gryffindors this brain dead, or are you a special case?" He shoots at me harshly,glaring. "Thea and Caelum have had some very interesting encounters that even I don't know the whole story behind. But the way they act when they pass each other in the halls, you know they feel something for each other. Be it hate or something else, it is there. And when you hurt someone this badly, no matter what those feelings are, you are going to want to protect them from everything else, because you couldn't protect them from yourself."

The way he looks at those doors, with complete understanding, makes me wonder what experience he had that made him so knowledgeable about all this.

"Well, this is getting depressing." Amelia breaks in. "Let's talk about something more cheerful. I got a letter from my dad this morning."

I look at her to see if her face shows anything. A letter from her dad could either be the best or worst thing to happen right now.

"I have it right here in my bag." She looks down before scrunching her forehead and looking around, confused.

"What's the matter?" I inquire, wondering what is wrong with her.

"I could've sworn I brought my bag here with me. I was going to catch up on some homework while I waited for Thea. I guess I must have left it in the Great Hall. Joss, if you see it could you bring it? I'm going to stay here."

I smile at her, loving how devoted she is to this girl she only met a week ago.

"Sure thing. Oh, and Malcolm?"

The Slytherin looks up at me, and I grin.

"Jackson was looking for you. Said he wanted to try some new broom riding technics."

Malcolm flushes and I pat him on the shoulder confortingly.

"Oh look. Here he comes now." I proclaim as the dirty blond haired Gryffindor comes strutting down the corridor. Everything about him screams anger, but the smile plastered on his face is friendly.

"Hey guys. Malcolm, why is your face red?" He questions, stopping in front of the dark haired boy.

The Slytherin looks at him, breathing deeply before mutter something about "broom riding" under his breath, and Jackson throws his head back and laughs. He grabs the other boy's arm and starts dragging him away.

"Come on, Flint. I'm going to teach you some of those technics right now, while we wait for Riddle to finish throwing her tantrum."

Malcolm Flint looks back at Amelia, slightly pleading, and she just grins at him. He sighs and allows the Gryffindor to drag him away.

"Hey, Joss."

I look over at Amelia, and she smiles at me. Her blue eyes sparkle, and I try to count every freckle on her face. I don't get far before she says, "You're going to be late for class, dummy."

I look at my watch and curse. Arithmancy starts in two minutes and is on the seventh floor.

"I'm going to be late. Catch you at dinner?" I call over my shoulder as I walk away.

"Of course." She grins.

I smile and pull my bag over my shoulder and start to jog down the corridor.

I get two floors up before I see someone. I curse under my breath, afraid they might be a teacher, and duck behind a suit of armour. I peer around it and sigh in relief when I see it is a student.

I'm about to continue walking when I notice something strange. The kid, I think his name is Kaden Diggory, a fourth year that gave us trouble a while back, is fiddling with something, muttering to himself.

I look closer and notice it's Amelia's bag. I start to step out as he murmurs a spell and straightens up.

"Ha. That should do it." Kaden says, pocketing his wand. "She should be so badly injured that Theato won't know what to do. And then I can make my move."

Is he talking to himself? Talk about crazy.

"I'll be glad when she's gone. She's ruining my reputation. With her stuck up attitude, she doesn't even know that she holds no power in this time. I hate her." An extremely high-pitched voice answered. So he's not alone.

A girl walks out and takes the bag from him. She had a squished face, kind of like those little dogs you see with rich people. Pugs. She looks like a pug.

The pug girl hoists Amelia's bag over her shoulder and starts walking down the corridor, Kaden trailing behind guiltily, looking around like he sensed something. Suddenly he stops and turns towards my hiding spot. I press myself against the wall, trying to make myself invisible. Kaden shakes his head and jogs to catch up to the girl.

I come out as they round the corner, staring after them in disbelief.

They are planning on hurting Amelia... To get at Theato? Why would they think that Theato would care if Amelia gets hurt? Why not just hurt Theato? This can't be happening.

I stumble a little as I race back towards the hospital wing, to Amelia.

_**~Amelia's POV~**_

I look over towards the door, hearing a strange noise. The door cracks open, and Thea pokes her head out. I gasp, and fumble for words.

She smiles shyly, a tinge of embarrassment colouring her cheeks. She slips out of the crack between the doors and quietly closes it behind her. "I am sorry about not letting you in. Caelum wants some time alone with Flint and Wood."

I smile and take her hand. "It's fine, Thea. I'm surprised you let anyone in at all."

She looks down in surprise but squeezes my hand comfortingly. "I didn't exactly let them in. Jackson shoved past me and Malcolm followed him." She frowns and glances at the closed doors, obviously unhappy that they did. "That stupid Gryffindor woke Caelum up."

"He does know he needs his rest right? Come on." I say, tugging on her hand. "Let's go kick them out."

She sighs and shakes her head, tugging me back. She leans back against the door. "Leave them. Having them around makes him happy. That'll probably heal him just as quickly as rest will."

"Oh, and you don't make him happy? That is something I sincerely doubt." I say, leaning up against the wall again and sliding down to the floor, pulling Theato with me.

She stumbles and slides down to sit next to me, digging her palms into her eyes and rubbing the tiredness out of them. "I nearly broke every bone in his body. I doubt seeing my face pleases him."

"Theato Emrys Riddle, you have got to be kidding me." I exclaim, moving so that I am kneeling in front of her. "I see his face every time he sneaks glances at you from the corner of his eye, or from across the Great Hall. He does care about you. He just doesn't know why yet."

"Because my mother tried to kill his father? He's probably cares that I could go mad and try to kill him" she spits, pulling her hands away from her eyes and clasping them in her lap. Her shoulders tighten in pain, but other than that she looks unfazed by her own words, as cool and collected as a Slytherin should be. Too bad that I don't believe her front.

"You know, it bothers me how little you think others are capable of loving you. It doesn't matter what your parents did, Thea. You are your own person. Even Harry Potter is protective of you. If that fact doesn't convince you, I don't know what will." I lean towards her, forcing her eyes up to look at me. "No one thinks you did it on purpose, Thea. If you had, you would've left him there, to die painfully. But you didn't. You saved him, Thea, and that's what really matters."

She turns away from me, pressing her cheek against the cool oak doors. Her shoulders shake silently, the silence stretching between us like a void. "But I did do it in purpose! I wanted to hurt him, I wanted to see him writhing on the ground in pain! And I have no idea why! He wanted to help me... I... I wanted someone to help, but I hurt him."

I grab her shoulders and turn her back towards me. "Sometimes... Sometimes the only way we can get people to see our pain is to inflict it upon them. Sometimes you don't even know you are in pain until you harm someone else. And just because you hurt them, doesn't mean they still don't want to help you."

Her body shakes in my hands, tears glistening in her eyes, but none of them fall. "But I shouldn't have hurt him! I should have let him help me, he could have understood what I was going through. He came through time. He could have soothed my pain, but no, I chose to inflict it on him. He, who came to help me despite everything I have out him through this week." She shakes her head, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She looks up at me through narrowed me, hissing. "And you know what the worst part is? I wanted him to help me. I could feel it, how much he could help me. He... He opened up to me, and I terrorized him! Emrys terrorized him! Emrys haunted him, tore through his emotions and drown him in them. And he still came after me, even after going through that. He was feeling exactly how I felt. And I hurt him! I... I can't believe I actually hurt him... I just wanted him to go away..."

I just can't take the pained expression on her face. She helped me when I thought no one else could. Now I have to help her. I pull her forward into a hug, her tearless sobs shaking her shoulders. "I know you're afraid. I know you're afraid that you're going to become some horrible murderous person, that you're going to end up going insane like your mom, but that's not going to happen." I pulled back to look her in the eyes. "I'm not going to let it."

"I'm not afraid of that. I already am that..." She closes her eyes, breathing in deep, shaky breaths. Something flits across her face, a painful memory that haunts me along with her words, making me wonder just what she has done in the past. Her father was Tom Riddle, he could have made her do so many awful things. "I'm afraid that I will hurt Caelum. Every time he comes near me, I can't control myself. I... I lash out, I hurt, I bleed inside. Something about him gets under my skin, haunts me, hurts me in ways that I've never been hurt before. And I don't know why."

I look at her, slightly shocked. I didn't think... But it does make sense, in a way. I mean, I've felt that way before, when I first started liking Joss and was afraid I'd somehow hurt him. Being able to do what Theato and I can do does something to your brain, makes you unsure of everything. But now I'm sure. And she's going to be too. "That has been known to happen. When you like someone that much, everything just hurts for a while."

Theato's eyes snap open, staring at me in surprise. Her mouth opens, but no words come out, and she quickly snaps it shut again. Emotions flit through her eyes, confusing and too quick to read. "When you... like someone? I have known Caelum for a week, and we spent the whole week tormenting him. Even Emrys decided to torment him. How does that possibly translate into unconfessed emotions for him?"

"I don't want to offend you. But, that's how I know. And how you're acting right now. Theato. You like him." I smile a little at the look on her face.

Theato slips away from me, scooting herself a few feet away. She shakes her head, her cool intellect back, eyes calculating and cold as she thinks through my words. "How can I possibly like him? We have been tearing each other apart since we've met."

"Exactly. You've been tearing into one another from the second you laid eyes on each other. Just admit it, Thea." I say, falling back dramatically.

She chews her bottom lip, lowering her gaze to the floor. "...I do not understand, Amelia Malfoy. Please explain."

I sit back up quickly. "What do you mean you don't understand?"

"I... do not understand how I could like someone I spent my time torturing." She looks vaguely uncomfortable, looking up with raised eyebrows. "And someone Emrys hates with such a passion. Why would he hate Caelum so much if I like him?"

"Maybe... Maybe that's just how you show affection."

She arches an eyebrow, amusement coloring her face as the starting of a grin tugs at the corners of her lips. "I show my affection by setting Emrys up to kill them?"

I shrug. "Everyone's different. Like, I show affection for Joss by insulting him."

"Well, I could live with insulting someone..." Theato grins.

"I mean, sometimes he does need to be cursed. But Maria usually takes my wand from me before I can." I grin.

Thea snickers and opens her mouth to answer, but the doors to the hospital wing open before she can. She glances up, snapping her mouth shut instantly, eyes narrowing on Jackson, who in turn glares back at her.

"You really are something, Riddle" he hisses, jerking towards her, but Malcolm's hand stops him.

I stand up and move in front of her. "Back off Jackson."

Jackson turns his glare on me, pursing his lips and shoving Malcolm's arm away. "That witch almost killed Caelum! She cast a curse that broke most of the bones in his body, punctured most of his organs, and made his life a living hell the last few weeks. She brought us to the future, away from our friends, away from our families, because she messed up a spell. She never apologized, never treated us with anything other than scorn. Why should I back off?"

I stare at him for a second, before bringing my fist back and slamming it into his solar plexus, making him double over in pain. "You back off because I said to. Malcolm, he's going to be a bit out of breath for a while. Come on, Thea." I reach down and pull her up and into the hospital wing, shutting the door firmly behind us.

Theato stumbles behind me, gazing at me with slightly widened eyes, before a grin slowly splits across her face. "Well, I did not know you had it in you, Amelia Malfoy."


	13. Chapter 9 - Caelum Longbottom

_Praeterito Futurum_

_Chapter 9 – Caelum Longbottom_

Voices slip through the fog in my mind, twisting and tying themselves around me.

Slowly, the sleep potion that Madam Pomfrey gave me after Malcolm and Jackson left fades. My conscious slips back to the surface, out of the relief of darkness and dreams, and back to the bright setting sun of reality. I still can't believe Pomfrey didn't throw a fit when Malcolm and Jackson came in. They helped me forget about the pain, which is now just a soft throb throughout my body, and stayed until I fell asleep. It was really nice of them, considering I was never close to Malcolm back in our time, and Jackson and I were only friends because we always got paired together in classes. Jackson has always been a good person, always cared about everyone. I suppose I should be grateful that out of everyone who could have ended up in a situation like this with me, it was him.

Malcolm, on the other hand… I never knew him that well. Not as well as I do now. If Theato hadn't brought us into this time, I doubt I would have ever thought of him as anything other than a Slytherin, when in fact he is kind and honest and good. I used to think he was too good to follow Theato around all day like he's been doing the whole week, but now that I know that he's been protecting her from harm, I can't fault him.

And Theato… well… I still can't believe that she's real. She's so… complicated. Not in a bad way, don't get me wrong. Just in a… complicated way. I hated her, at first, because of who her mother is. Her mother destroyed my family, my father, my grandparents. She drove them crazy, and nearly killed my father. I've read all of the books, heard all of the stories, and seen all of the pictures. Bellatrix Lestrange was a monster. Theato, on the other hand, is more like her father in a less… Dark Lord kind of way. She's evil, and cruel, and dark, but underneath it all, every time she hurts someone, or makes fun of a younger student, it hurts her as well. I bet that she'd never admit it, but I can see it: the way she withdrawals when arguing with others. It's as if being mean is her defense from the rest of the world. Yet she accepts Malcolm and Amelia without a second thought. I wonder why she feels the need to protect herself from everyone other than them.

I just… can't understand any of this. This time thing. My father being older than I remember him. Being cursed. The throbbing in my head.

Theato's voice, though soft and obviously trying not to be overheard, cuts through the tranquility surrounding my cot. "No matter what you think I feel for Longbottom, it could never amount to anything. Emrys would never allow it. I mean, how can I fight myself? I can't only be half of me around him. I can't." Her voice cracks halfway through, as if something caught in her throat, but she continues on, unaware of my eavesdropping. "It would be the death of me."

"You can't fight yourself. Maybe, maybe Emrys just hasn't warmed up to him yet." Amelia's voice answers, following hers.

Theato snorts, boots clipping against the stone floor of the infirmary, towards my bed. "Maybe? I wanted him to leave me alone so Theato tried to run away from him, and Emrys tried to scare him away. It isn't that Emrys hasn't warmed up to him. Emrys expresses my emotions in a much more... vocal way than Theato. He expresses my true emotions. If he tried to... if he tried to scare Caelum away by intimidating him, then how desperate do you think Emrys was to get Caelum away from me?"

"Has Emrys ever been, you know," I could hear the awkwardness in her voice as she paused. "Ever been physical with another guy before?"

The silence after her words is deafening. Theato's boots stop their trek to my bed, and the world seems to freeze for a moment. The pause stretches on for eternity, and I realize that I am holding my breath with it. Judging by how he touched me earlier, I would reckon he has. Theato confirms my thoughts moments later. "He... has. A few times... with a few people..." The blush is evident in her voice as she coughs delicately, tapping a boot against the ground. "With Helios Zabini. Just a little bit with Abraxas Malfoy, just a kiss, and... well... Matthew Flint..."

"Abraxas Malfoy, and Matthew Flint?" Amelia gasps out. "You're telling me, you made out with my great great grandfather, and shagged Malcolm's great grandfather? What if he finds out?" Amelia's whisper has gotten strained, like she's trying not to shout.

Thea yelps, and her boots scramble against the stone, as if she is moving away from Amelia. "Well, technically it was Emrys who shagged Malcolm's grandfather, during 6th year, in the Prefect's bathroom... Maybe once at Bellatrix's mansion." Her boots start towards my bed again, heavier than before. "And he won't. It was only once or twice, nothing Malcolm needs to be aware of. He doesn't even know about Emrys yet."

"He did it multiple times? Jeez, Aidian can't even get the courage to kiss a boy's cheek, let alone shag one." Amelia scuffs her boot against the floor, walking closer to Theato. "Malcolm might find out eventually, you know. About both of us."

"I really liked Matthew Flint, and he was into boys..." Theato whispers softly, the rest of her sentence too quiet for me to hear, just outside of the curtains surrounding my bed. I shut my eyes quickly, relaxing my body and pretending to be asleep. How awkward it would be for us all if they realized I heard them talk about... whatever this is. This is seriously messed up, whatever it is. "It doesn't matter if Malcolm finds out, he'll keep it a secret. He is as loyal as his grandfather was. Caelum, on the other hand, wouldn't even be able to look me in the eyes if he realized just how messed up I am. I may not be like my mother, but what I am... it is unnatural," she continues, stopping before the curtains. Something breaks in her voice, a note of defeat, a pain ingrained so deep in her soul that she believes her own words.

"Hey." Amelia's voice is soft, hard to make out through the curtain. "If you are unnatural, then so am I. We can be unnatural weirdos together."

Theato cracks a laugh, surprised and unexpected, and the curtains creak as she pushes them apart. She sighs, stepping into my area, followed by Amelia. "That does not change Caelum. Or Emrys. Even if... even if I... enjoy Caelum's company... even if I had feelings for him, even if Emrys did, it wouldn't change Caelum's absolute disgust if he found out ."

"You haven't met his mother. Caelum could never be absolutely disgusted, not with a mother as open minded as hers is. He might freak out a little, when he finds out you are also a guy, but honestly, I'd find it very strange if he didn't."

A guy? How can Theato 'also be a guy'? How is that even possible? I mean, I have heard of potions that can change your gender for short periods of time, and I believe there is even some kind of surgery, but everything about Theato is feminine. There is no way that she is a guy.

"He could never care for me knowing my secret" she whispers, stepping up next to my bed. Her fingers brush against my forehead, cool and soft, pushing hair off of my forehead. "You weren't there. You didn't see how he reacted to Emrys."

Amelia sighs, and the end of my bed sinks as she sits down. "No, I didn't see how he reacted, but I bet he probably acted somewhat like Joss did when he first encountered Aidian. I think you forget sometimes that I've had some of these experiences too." I can tell from her voice she's smiling. But who is Aidian?

Theato laughs, something cold and distant, but soft at the same time. Desperate. Her voice comes out broken, hopeless. "Ame, Emrys kissed him."

"What?" Amelia practically shouts, her weight leaving the bed and a thud on the floor, indicating she fell off. Theato shushes her, and she continues, softer. "You didn't tell me that. Theato Emrys Riddle, how could you not tell me that?"

Theato makes a sound, something akin to a squeak, and the bed beside me dips as she sits on it. "He... he was tormenting Caelum, trying to get him to leave me alone, and he kind of... I don't know, pinned Caelum to a wall, teased him, and kissed him?" To her credit, a note of bashfulness resounds in her voice.

How did she knows what Emrys did to me? She wasn't anywhere in the hallway at the time.

A chair lightly scrapes the floor as Amelia drags it closer to Theato. "So like, how much of a kiss?" Her voice is filled with curiosity and humor.

"Not much. I mean, Caelum turned his head away, so instead of being full on, it was more like... on the corner of his lips?" She murmurs, absentmindedly running a hand through my hair, fingers tugging at the knots in it. The sensation sends pleasant tingles down my spine, right alongside the embarrassment flooding me. "It was nothing like what Matthew and I did. Gods, that was some kissing."

"Oh really? Was it? Do tell." Amelia was close to cracking, her voice filled with laughter.

"Well, Matthew was an amazing kisser. He had this way with his tongue, did this little trick that drove me crazy every single time." Theato snickers, pulling her hand away from me and settling further on the bed, her back pressing into my arm. "He always knew when I wanted to kiss, it was like an instinct. I'd just show up, and he'd give me his little smirk, crooked teeth and all, and lean down and kiss me, no matter who was around, as long as I was Emrys. Compared to Matthew, what I did with Caelum was nothing."

"Oh my god. I think I might have to live vicariously through your past experiences, seeing as Joss won't make a move. Also, guys do weird things when they are anxious. Caelum could've just thought you were messing around. You can never tell." Amelia exhales loudly. "I mean, not that Caelum has guys messing around with him regularly, it's just. Guys are strange. I would know. I am one. Sometimes."

That doesn't make any sense. I just… how can she be… how can she be a guy sometimes? Oh Merlin, whatever Pomfrey gave me must have some crazy side effects if I am dreaming about Amelia and Theato being guys.

Theato giggles softly. "I completely understand, but that doesn't stop me from being scared. And if Joss is worried, he could always ask Malcolm about ways to make a move. Or even me."

"I sincerely hope he asks you. I want to hear that conversation. Of course, I could wheedle it out of Malcolm too." Amelia giggles, and then her voice turns serious. "And you don't have to be scared. Whatever happens, you'll have me."

"And what good are you?" Theato teases, bed dipping as she gets up. "Hit by a few bludgers today? How can I rely on you being here for me and not in the hospital wing?"

"As long as you don't hit them at me, I'll be fine." Amelia jibes back.

Theato laughs airily. "I can't promise you that. After all, you are on the opposing team."

The weariness in my body from laying on this cot for so long sinks into me. Unable to sit still any longer, I stretch a bit, pretending to have just woken up, and slowly crack an eye open, praying that they fall for it. "Haven't you put enough people in the hospital wing for a while, Riddle?"

Theato, who leans against the end of my bed, glances back at me, startled, and blushes softly in embarrassment and possibly a hint of shame. "For now."

Amelia laughs and shakes her head. "I'll just leave you two alone then." She walks toward the doors, shooting Theato a weird look, before giggling and leaving.

Theato glances back at me, curiously, before sitting down in Amelia's now empty seat. "You are terrible at pretending to be asleep, Caelum."

I choke, coughing out in embarrassment and grabbing the glass of water from the bedside table. Taking a sip, I venture to glance back at her. "How did-"

"Amelia whispered it to me right before we started talking about Quidditch" she answers monotonously, giving me a dry smile. "At least I can count on you not having understood a single thing we said."

"That's certainly true" I whisper, replacing the glass and sitting up. My muscles groan in pleasure at the movement, stiff from the bed and the curse. "So you know Emrys?"

A wry look of amusement slips onto her face.

"Amelia!" Joss's voice echoes off the stone walls as he rushes into the infirmary, smacking the curtains aside as he comes skidding into my area, panicked.

"She left a few minutes ago." Theato answers, jumping up with catlike reflexes and catching Joss' shoulder before he can dash out of the infirmary. "Why, what's wrong?"

Joss stops, turning to face Theato fully. He is pale, gasping for breath, eyes wide in fear. "Someone cursed her bag."

Theato freezes for a moment before jumping into action, shoving past Joss on her way out of the hospital wing. "Go and find that bag, Joss, and whoever cursed it. When you find the bag, bring it to me. I will keep Amelia busy for the night in the Slytherin dorm."

"Theato-" Joss starts, but I cut him off, tired of being ignored for the night.

"Jackson, Malcolm and I will help you look" I jump in, struggling to sit up before slipping off of the bed. I straighten my Hogwarts robes, which I put on while Malcolm and Jackson were here. "Madam Pomfrey said I was good to go as soon as I woke up."

Joss nods gratefully while staring at Theato's retreating figure. "I think I know where her bag will be."


	14. Chapter 10 - Amelia Malfoy

Chapter 10 – Amelia Malfoy_  
_

I stumble, trying to keep pace with Theato as she drags me to her dorm. "Thea, not that I'm complaining or anything, but why exactly are we having a slumber party?"

Thea glances back at me, dark eyes catching the candle light of the hallway. "Because I need to not worry about accidentally changing into a guy for one night, and we both need to have some fun. Sleepover's are supposed to be fun, yes? What friends do?"

"Sleepovers are fun. Or so I've heard." I mutter.

"They are. Elaine and I used to have them all the time. Granted, we used to go and sleep up in the Astronomy Tower, but a guest room in Slytherin has to be just as good." Theato drags me down the stairs to the dungeons, not bothering to pause to give me a moment to catch myself. She glances back to me, a wry grin on her lips. "Oh, I forgot to mention. We are having the sleepover in my room. That way nobody can bother us."

I slide my hand along the way in an attempt to not fall flat on my face. "No one can bother us, except for, you know, the entirety of Slytherin House." I joke.

She stops, nearly making me run into her, and turns around. The wicked grin on her face scares me slightly. "Didn't you hear? Caleb put Malcolm and I in the guest rooms of Slytherin, which is down a separate hall coming out of the common room. He didn't want anyone harassing us. The dorms are on the opposite side of the common room. The only other person who can get down that hall without permission is Malcolm."

I relax a little. "Okay. But what about Malcolm?"

She shrugs and pulls me along again, down a few more corridors, before finally stopping in front of a wall. "Malcolm is supposed to be with Joss and Jackson tonight. He won't be bothering us. His room is across the hall, anyways. No reason for him to come a'knocking."

I look at her, surprised. "Joss didn't mention it. That's weird." I look around and shiver slightly. I've never been too fond of the dungeons, much preferring Ravenclaw Tower. It's just a little too dark and damp down here for me. "So, what are we going to do during this Slumber Party?" I question the girl beside me.

Theato taps the wall in front of her, mumbling something under her breath, and the wall retreats. In it's place is a door, which Theato quickly pulls open and pulls me inside. "I asked the house elves to bring food to my room, since we both ended up missing dinner."

"Oh thank god, I'm starving." I exclaim, following Theato down the well-lit hallway to her room.

"I figured you would be" she answers, stopping at the end of the hall and opening the door to the room on the left. "Well, come on. The food will be cold if you wait any longer."

"Oh wow." I murmur as I step into her room. There were at least three tables full of food. Basically every wizard dish you can imagine, it was there. I smirk slightly when I see a bowl of Muggle marshmallows and a plate of chocolate and graham crackers. "Are you planning on making S'mores, Theato?"

For her part, she blushes a soft pink and slips into the room, shutting the door behind herself. "I heard Caleb talking about them and I have never had them before. He suggested that I try them" she mumbles, slipping past me and to the food, looking down at it curiously.

"They are one of the greatest things Muggles have ever created. Come on, I'll show you." I take the plate and bowl over to the fire and sit down, patting the ground next to me, indicating that Theato should sit down too.

"You... have to melt it?" She slinks towards me, perching on the edge of a posh pillowed chair by the fire, and nods for me to continue. Her eyes shine with curiosity, making her look like an excited kitten, or a child on Christmas. It's kind of cute, how happy she looks at the prospect of melted chocolate.

I giggle. "You don't put the chocolate in the fire, but it will end up melting, don't worry." I add hastily as her face falls. She perks up slightly, as I take my wand from my boot and conjure two roasting sticks. "You have to come closer for this to work, you know."

"This is exciting" she mumbles, slipping off of her chair and onto the ground next to me. Her cheeks tinge pink as she holds out her hand for one of the roasting sticks, cocking her head to the side. "How do we put chocolate on a stick without it melting everywhere?"

I give her a small smile, loving how innocent she is with this. "You don't put the chocolate on the stick. You put the marshmallows on. Like this, see?" I demonstrate as she watches curiously.

She takes a marshmallow from the bowl, slowly sinking it onto the end of the stick, before looking up, wide eyed. "Now what?"

"You stick it above the fire until it turns a lovely golden brown." I say. "Or, if you are like me, you stick it in until it catches fire." I put my marshmallow on a stick directly in the flame, smiling happily as the flame catches.

Theato giggles softly, holding her marshmallow just above the flames. It turns a soft brown as mine continues to flame. "You know, this is actually kind of fun. I've never actually made my own food like this before."

"Really?" I ask, as I pull mine out, extinguishing the flame with my breath. "I love making my own food. I'll have to show you how to make my amazing brownies." I smile over at her, picking up a piece of chocolate and two graham crackers.

She copies my actions, squishing the marshmallow between the chocolate and two crackers before pulling it off and sniffing at the S'more she made. "And you eat it like this?"

I nod. "Yup. It's even better if you just shove the whole thing in your mouth at once. That way nothing has the chance to spill and ooze on you."

"Alright..." Theato glances at me uncertainly before managing to shove the whole thing in her mouth and crunch down on it. Her eyes widen in surprise and she claps, bouncing excitedly while chewing.

I laugh loudly as she beams at me. "So, I'm going to take that as 'Oh my god Amelia this is really delicious!'"

She nods her head vigorously, finishing her S'more before jumping up with a glimmer in her eye. "I wonder what other treats the house elves brought us" she sings, dancing in a circle before grabbing my arm and yanking me up and towards the tables. "I can't remember the last time I had chocolate! Rudolphus didn't like it so we never had any in the house."

"You poor child, how have you survived?" I exclaim, bouncing along after her.

"I had Matthew to amuse me" she answers, sending me a vicious grin before looking over the food and dismissing it with a wave of the hand. "Boring. I'm not that hungry anyways. Caelum bleeding out all over me took my appetite away."

"Mm. Matthew Flint. You must tell me more about this." I say, falling dramatically on to a plush dark green couch.

Theato looks over at me, arching an eyebrow while moving to sit cross-legged beside me, leaning back against the armrest. "Oh, and what do you want to know?" She asks, a scandalous tone in her voice as she leans towards me, a smirk slowly crawling across her lips.

I sit up and prop my head on my hands. "Details. All of them. How else am I going to live through you?"

Theato scoffs, picking up the pillow beside her and playing with the tassels on it. "Well, I doubt that you want all of the details. Some of them are rather... intimate."

I pick up the pillow next to me and throw it at her face. "Theato. Details."

She snickers and catches it before launching her own directly at my face. "Well, first off, did you know that Matthew Flint has a birth mark shaped like a crescent moon on his left butt cheek?"

I shriek as the pillow smacks into my face, before laughing. "Do you think it's hereditary? Maybe Malcolm has one too. We should ask Jackson."

Theato squeals and claps her hands together, tossing the other pillow at me in the process. "Oh, that would be just pleasant! I wonder if Malcolm also has his rough kink as well?"

I catch the pillow and launch it back at her before giggling. "If he does I bet Jackson enjoys it."

Theato barks out laughter, snorting. A hand flies up to her mouth and she looks at me wide-eyed, embarrassed, before starting to laugh again.

"What does Jackson enjoy?" A curious voice asks from the door.

I gasp and look towards the door, where a very confused Malcolm stands. I look back at Thea before breaking down into laughter again.

Theato tries to muffle her laughter, but can't manage to. Instead, she picks up the pillow she threw at me and tosses it at Malcolm.

Malcolm catches it, not looking amused as he steps into the room and shuts the door behind himself, dropping my bag to the ground. "What do I have that Jackson enjoys?"

"A broom" Theato manages to get out before falling back into giggles and collapsing against my side, whispering "ask about the birth mark" into my ear.

I fall back against the back of the couch trying to control my laughter. "So Malcolm," I gasp out, "Do you by any chance have a birthmark on your bum?" I collapse into Theato, giggling uncontrollably.

Malcolm's eyebrows rise in surprise as he sits on the chair in front of the couch, watching the two of us with something calculating. "And if I do?"

"I knew he did! He reminds me too much of Matthew not to have it!" Theato yelps, sitting up and wiping at her eyes while gasping for air.

I lean forward, grinning like a maniac. "So you admit to having this birthmark?" My voice is strained from forcing my laughter back.

Malcolm glances between the two of us before settling to stare at Theato, eyes narrowed. "What did you say about my grandfather?"

Theato's eyes widen and she straightens up. "Absolutely nothing. I understand that birthmarks are usually a family trait in purebloods."

I giggle before saying, "Yes, absolutely, my father has a star on his left shoulder. And so does my grandfather." This is a lie of course, my father has nothing of the sort. But, I think it might be slightly detrimental to their friendship if he found out she, in a way, shagged his grandfather.

Malcolm leans forward, glaring at us with an icy chill in his eyes. "Yes, but the area in which my birthmark is located is quite intimate." He leans back, tapping a finger against Theato's knee. "So explain to me how you knew the exact location if my grandfather's and mine."

"Wouldn't you like to know" she hisses before sniggering and whipping a pillow at Malcolm.

Malcolm, caught completely by surprise, gets smacked in the face by it. He pulls it off of himself and places it in his lap, glaring at Thea. "I would, and if you don't tell me, then I will give Amelia her bag."

"You wouldn't" Theato murmurs, eyes widening in horror as she pales.

"Oh, I would" Malcolm answers monotonously, his face a mask of perfect stone.

What's so bad about my bag that Thea doesn't want him giving it to me? I mean, it's just got my school stuff in it. "Why would it be bad if he gave me my bag? I kind of want it actually, do you have it?" I ask Malcolm. Thea and him are apparently having a glaring contest I wasn't invited to. I pick up a pillow and wack both of them upside the head with it. "Hey!" I shout. "Come on, tell me."

Thea yelps and blinks, glancing over at me before sharing another look with Malcolm, this one not quite so rude. "Someone put joke charm on it earlier. Give me a minute to take it off and you can have your bag" she answers easily, but I can see the lie in her words.

"Thea, what's going on?" I question the girl next to me.

Theato shakes her head and gets up, walking over to the door and gingerly squatting beside my bag. She draws her wand, waving it over my bag.

"Be careful, Theato" Malcolm calls, looking like he's dying to get off his chair and pull her away from the bag. "The... charm is a rather strong one."

"Who would charm my bag, anyways? What is the point in that?" I ask Malcolm.

"No idea. It was probably just a prank." He shrugs, watching as Thea mumbles a few words and waves her wand over my bag again. It glows a faint yellow before settling down again, and Thea sighs.

"If it's just a prank, what's the big deal?" I look between the two dark haired Slytherins. Malcolm's face is calm and collected, but Theato looks angry and slightly scared. I'm so confused.

Thea shrugs, slipping her wand into her pocket before getting up and grabbing my bag. "It would have been embarrassing for me to be seen with someone so easily pranked" she answers easily, dropping the bag in my lap before sitting on Malcolm's armrest.

"Oh really?" I grab the pillow next to me. "Is that so?" I swing the pillow at Thea, but she ducks and it collides with the side of Malcolm's head.

Malcolm squeaks, bumping into Theato and snatching the pillow before it falls to the floor. "That was uncalled for," he glares at me, running a hand through his hair to fix it, "and right when I was about to tell you that your bag was-"

Another pillow smacks Malcolm in the face, this time from Theato, who doesn't look a bit apologetic. "Sorry Mal, what were you saying?" she asks sweetly, smiling down at him with her leering, psychopathic Riddle smile.

"Oh it's on, Riddle." Malcolm hits Theato in the face and I laugh. He turns at the sound and smacks the pillow into my face, knocking me to the couch.

"You are in for it now, Malcolm." I say, standing up on the couch with a pillow in hand.

"Don't start something that you can't finish, Mal." Theato jumps up, balancing on Malcolm's armrest, a pillow in hand as she smirks down at Malcolm. She glances at me, arching an eyebrow suggestively before glancing at her pillow then down at Malcolm.

I nod, and start to move around to his other side, poised to attack. "This isn't going to end well for you."

He glances between the two of us before swearing and trying to lurch off the chair. Theato laughs and whips her pillow at the back of his head, sending him crashing to the floor as he raises his arms to fend off the attack.

I grin and swing at his hands, knocking them into his face. He curses, attempting to crawl away.

"Na ah ah" Theato sings, snatching the other pillow off the chair and tossing it at him. He turns around, catching it, and whips it back at her. Theato yelps, falling off the arm of the chair and crashing to the floor beside him. "That was rude" she growls, rubbing her butt before grinning and tackling him. They struggle on the floor until she manages to cling to his back, her legs wrapped around his stomach and her arms around his neck. "I got him, Amelia! Attack!"

I jump in with a mighty war cry, slamming my pillow repeatedly into his face, and body. I giggle as he starts to scream. It's not like a deep, manly scream either. It was a high pitched, and extremely girly. Thea and I sit back a little, looking at him. The scream slowly peters out and we just burst out laughing.

"That was... you have some lungs on you, Mal" Theato teases, unhooking an arm from his neck to mess up his hair, unhooking her legs from around his stomach to sit cross legged, his head in her lap. "Such a pretty girl, aren't you, Mal?" She coos, grinning.

"I don't think even I scream that high, Flint." I say, crawling over to sit on his stomach. I hit his face with the pillow as the door opens.

Malcolm flushes a lovely shade of pink and struggles underneath us, glancing at whomever opened the door. Relief lights his eyes and he struggles harder." Jackson. Get them off of me."

Jackson Wood slowly walks in the room, towards us. "I heard screams... What's going on?" He throws a glance towards Malcolm, and I giggle.

"So what you're saying is, you recognized the screams?"

Malcolm falls silent and still underneath me, and Theato coughs to hide her laughter.

Jackson blushes and rubs the back of his neck. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Malfoy. Now could you kindly get off of my boyfriend?"

I smirk at him. "Why don't you make me?"

"I think that Amelia is trying to say that she is quite comfy where she is, and if you are jealous, you are welcome to pick up a pillow join us" Theato murmurs, pulling her hands out of Malcolm's hair and reaching over. She grabs a pillow from the floor, tossing it to Jackson. "If you are man enough to win your boyfriend back from us."

Malcolm shoots her a glare and starts struggling again. "Don't do it, Jackson. It's a trap."

"We aren't going to let him up, so you really have no choice." I say, holding up my pillow.

Jackson looks at Malcolm and then back up at me before launching forward and slamming his pillow into the side of my head, knocking me sideways.

Theato lungs forward, onto Malcolm's chest, and tackles Jackson, bringing him down. The movement drags her and Jackson off of the Slytherin and into a new pile on the floor, wrestling for control on the pillow that previously hit me in the face.

Malcolm, now mostly free, sits up and scrambles away from our pile, reaching for a pillow laying a few feet away.

"Not a chance, Flint." I grab his legs and pull him back, out of the reach of the pillow.

He flips onto his back and brings a knee up between our bodies, pushing we away while grinning. "Too late, Malfoy." He raises a hand and whacks my chest with the tasseled pillow Theato had earlier.

I shriek and swing my pillow at his head. "You're going to pay for that."

He laughs, swatting my pillow to the side and shoves me away. "I would like to see you try." He ducks around me and reaches for Theato's arm, trying to drag her off of Jackson.

She shrieks and kicks at him, clinging to the blond Gryffindor as he tickles her sides. "Amelia! Get Flint off of me!" She screams while wiggling in Jackson's arms, trying to get away from the tickles and the Slytherin trying to drag her towards him.

He tries to grab at me, hands flailing blindly as he attempts to shield himself at the same time. Giving up, he groans and rolls over, pinning me beneath him. He coughs out laughter as he pushes me into the ground. "Give up yet, Malfoy?" He asks. He freezes when a shark bark of laughter comes from Theato.

"No, stop, oh Merlin, Jackson, stop! I am going to pee my pants!" She screams, flailing and managing to nearly kick Malcolm and I in the face as she attempts to escape her captor.

Jackson smirks, tightening his arm around her waist and tickling her sides. "Do you give up?"

Taking advantage of his distraction, I flip us over so his face is pressed into the carpet. "Give up yet, Flint?" I mock, as he struggles to push me off.

"Never" he promises, shoving at me with all of his force, barely managing to wiggle us around on the floor.

"Amelia!" Theato cries again, successfully managing to kick kick Malcolm in the ribs this time and wind him in her attempt to get away.

Jackson finally gives her a break, pausing in his tickling to flip her over and pin her beneath him. She struggles to get away and catch her breathe at the same time, failing miserably and only succeeding in having Jackson pin her hands above her head. He glances over at me, smirking. "Prisoner exchange?"

I knock Malcolm to the ground, and press his shoulders down. "You first, Wood."

He groans beneath me, glaring. "Don't trust her."

Jackson looks at Malcolm for a moment, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, before he nods and eases up, sitting up on Theato's stomach and releasing her arms. "Fine."

I grab Theato's arm and drag her over to me. I ease up on Malcolm and he scrambles out from under me towards Jackson. "Arm yourself, Thea." I whisper, slowly reaching for a pillow.

She drops her pillow and throws her arms up, sitting on her butt between the boys and I. "No way. I call a truce for a while." She shoots Jackson a dirty look, but there is warmth in her eyes. "I have no wish to be tickled again tonight."

I laugh and lay down, leaning my arms on my pillow. "So now that the battle is over, what are we going to do?"

Jackson and Malcolm relax, leaning against each other.

Theato smiles and lays back on the floor, pulling a pillow to place under her head. "I am not sure about you, but I am tired. Today has been a long day." She glances at the boys, and nods towards the couch. "You can stay here tonight. It's Sunday tomorrow anyways, there are no classes to be late for." With that, she gets up and walks to the bed, collapsing onto it.

Malcolm makes a noise, presumably one of agreeance, as Jackson yawns. He pulls the Gryffindor up and the few steps it takes to get to the couch before the both collapse on it.

I stumble getting up and collapse next to Theato on her bed, thinking about the strangeness of the day as I fall asleep.


	15. Chapter 11 - Theato Riddle

Praeterito Futurum

_Chapter 11 – Theato/Emrys Riddle_

Waking up the next morning has to be the hardest thing I have ever done. Firstly, I woke up to a warm body curled into my side. Namely, Amelia. Apparently, she is a cuddler when she falls asleep, and it is very hard to convince yourself to get out of bed when there is such warmth and comfort surrounding you, and it is a Sunday. Secondly, Jackson snores when he sleeps. Not a loud, obnoxious snore, like the boy himself, but more of a comforting, barely there sound, that is actually quite relaxing. Thirdly, because I dread what the other Slytherins will ask when all four of us exit my room together. They aren't the most subtle people when they have an opinion, and I really do not want to know their opinions. Fourthly, I do not feel like parading around the school today, and I would much rather stay in bed, but my plans do not include staying in bed. If only whoever tried to curse Amelia were in my bed, then I wouldn't have to get up. Too bad.

"Malcolm?" I whisper softly, slowly detangling myself from Amelia and sitting up. I rub the sleep from my eyes, pulling my hair over one shoulder while glancing at the couch curiously.

He groans and cracks an eye open, shoving Jackson's arm off his chest to stretch. "Yes?"

"I have something to do. Make sure your boyfriend and Malfoy don't make too much of a mess of my room when you leave" I order, slipping out of bed and folding the covers back over Amelia before tugging my wand out of my pocket. Looking down at myself disdainfully, I mutter a quiet cleaning and redressing spell. A chill sweeps over my body, as if I just stepped out of a shower, and my skin cleans, hair magically cleaning and re-brushing itself. My clothes disappear, replaced instantly by a pair of black short shorts, black pantyhose, and a loose white shirt. Snatching an elastic band from my bedside table, I pull my curly hair up into a hazardous, messy ponytail, and pull the end over my left shoulder. Something heavy presses into my pocket. Hiding my surprise, I slip a hand into my pocket and freeze. The cool metal in my pocket buzzes when it comes in contact with my skin, thrumming and pressing memories into my mind. Memories of my father, of him slipping something into my hand before turning to talk to Bellatrix. I forgot. This must be it. The memories keep coming, like an instruction manual, and a smile slowly slips onto my lips. "And make the bed before you leave, will you?"

"Of course" he answers, watching me curiously before laying back down next to his boyfriend, who instantly wraps his arm around Malcolm's waist again. "Good luck with finding who cursed Amelia's bag."

I don't ask how he knows what I plan on doing, but merely nod my thanks for his good tidings and slip out of the room silently, shutting the door behind myself. My trek out of the Slytherin common room is much the same, through the silver and green decorated room full of silver and gold objects and a roaring, blazing fireplace surrounded by overstuffed, comfy chairs that resemble thrones. Most of the Slytherins are probably still asleep or already out of the common room, considering the clock on the wall says that it is a quarter past ten in the morning. Most people would be mulling around the common room at this time, but considering that try-outs were yesterday, they probably stayed up late celebrating. I whisper the password and slip out of the common room, immediately heading towards the Great Hall. If I want to catch a Gryffindor, that is the best place to look. They were always where the food was in my time, and it seems to essentially be the same now.

During my trek to the Great Hall, just outside of the huge doors leading in to where I can see students piled on benches, eating breakfast, I catch sight of the messy black hair that I've been looking for. Shoving my way through the middle of a group of Hufflepuffs, and ignoring the scandalized, rude glare from Caelum as I shove past him, I raise a hand up and yell as loud as I can. "Joss Potter!"

The boy in question turns around, looking for the source of the noise before his eyes land on me. They widen slightly in surprise before he says something to the Gryffindors beside him and keeps walking.

Oh, he believes himself above me? Too great to be seen with a mere Slytherin, even if I am the daughter of Tom Riddle? Or is he simply embarrassed because I yelled his name across the Great Hall? Either way, I loathe being ignored. "Very mature of you, Potter! Ignoring a girl just because she is from a different house. What a wonderful Quidditch captain you will be. I wonder, will you avoid me on the pitch as well? Make victory for the Slytherins easier?" I call out, just as loud, drawing snickers from nearby Slytherins as all attention focuses on us. The teacher's at the head table gaze curiously, only one glaring with such a hatred that it draws my eyes for a second. Professor Neville Longbottom, if I remember correctly. My mother tortured him and his parents. How drole that he hates me when his son seems to enjoy following me around.

Joss's friends pat him on the back and step away, leaving him alone in favor of going to sit down at the Gryffindor table. Joss turns back around slowly, eyebrows raised high in defiance even though his cheeks are tinged a light pink with embarrassment. "What do you want, Riddle?" He calls back, crossing his arms across his chest.

"All of your time and your complete devotion" I sing, smiling sweetly before mock curtsying, gazing at him under lowered lashes. "If you'd have a Slytherin such as myself."

He sighs, running a hand across the bridge of his nose in embarrassment, his cheeks turning bright red as the student population of the hall laugh at his expense. "You could have just come up to me if you wanted to talk instead of yelling my name across the Great Hall."

I always loved it when they put up a fight. I wonder if he will make a worthy opponent. "I could have, but where is the fun in that?" I drawl, grinning darkly before nodding my head to the empty hall outside. "Do you have a moment to spare for a lowly Slytherin such as myself?"

More chortles from the Slytherins and a disapproving huff from Caelum and his Hufflepuffs, but the Gryffindors perk up, expecting some kind of fight. They are disappointed. Joss takes one good look at me before nodding and making his way to me. "Did you manage to get the curse off of Amelia's bag?" he hisses under his breath when he makes it to my side, offering me his arm with little humor.

"Of course. It was child's play to undo the curse, even if it was a rather strong one. I am rather insulted that you even have to ask" I answer, slipping my arm through his easily while flashing a grin at the group of students gathered around us and allowing him to drag me out of the Great Hall and up a flight of stairs. "Were you aware that if Amelia would have laid a hand on her bag, her blood would have thickened in her blood until it killed her?"

"No, I wasn't." Joss trips over a step, looking over at me wide-eyed. "Was it really that bad?"

"Would I exaggerate something like this?" I narrow my eyes on him, pulling him to a stop and looking around to make sure nobody is eavesdropping before turning back to him. Pursing my lips, I arch an eyebrow and slip a hand into my pocket. "Tell me who you saw curse Amelia's bag. It is important that we find them as soon as possible."

Joss's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Why? What are you planning on doing to them?"

"You do not want to know" I answer back seriously, watching the colour drain from his face.

He sets his face, resolved. "One of them was a Slytherin, a pug-like girl with a nasal voice. The other was a boy, a Hufflepuff a few years younger than us, by the name of Kaden Diggory. It's… very possible that he has a grudge against you."

"And why would that be?"

"Your father killed his grandfather's cousin, Cedric Diggory" he answers, leaning back against the wall beside me and running a hair through his hair. "He was kind of a golden boy. Perfect grades, amazing Quidditch seeker, loved by all, all that."

I lean back against the wall next to him. "And Kaden Diggory wants revenge for a family member that he has never met?" It would make sense. People have come after me for less, in my time. And more.

"Yes. He's scared of you, like most people are" he answers. "I didn't think he'd go so far as trying to hurt your friends to get to you, though."

Of course he wouldn't think that the boy would. No matter how much Joss loves Amelia, he is still a Gryffindor. He would never think that a younger student, and a Hufflepuff at that, would be willing to murder someone to hurt me. That's why Joss can't know what I plan on doing to the boy when I find him. Schooling my features to a perfect stoic mask, I push away from the wall and stare at him. "Where will we most likely find them?"

He stares at me for a moment before nodding and pushing away from the wall. "This way" he answers, heading up the next flight of stairs. I follow him up, then down the corridor to the left, heading towards the Charms room. "I saw them near the Muggle Studies room when they cast the curse. I bet that if they are going to meet up again, they would meet up there. Nobody would be down that way, especially on a Sunday."

"What exactly did they say?" My question hits silence as he glances back at me and shakes his head, eyes clouding with emotion as he remembers and shudders angrily.

"They wanted to hurt you, and they were going to use her to do it. That girl finished whatever curse that Kaden put on her bag, and then went to plant the bag in the Great Hall for her to find" he whispers, pulling me down a poorly lit hallway, where the Muggle Studies classroom lies at the end. "Good thing I found it first."

"A Slytherin and a Hufflepuff, hmm? I wonder what my father did to the-"

"Shh!" He hisses, pushing me behind the nearest statue as the figure of a boy ducks into the same dimly lit hallways that we are in. In case I didn't know, Joss adds in. "That's him. That's Kaden Diggory."

"Can I borrow your robe?" I ask innocently, motioning to the Gryffindor robe he wears. He looks at me curiously before taking it off and handing it to me, which I quickly sling over my outfit and make sure it stays closed in the front. "Wish me luck" I whisper, winking at him before ducking out of our hideout.

"You can't hurt him, Theato! You'll get expelled!" Joss hisses, grabbing my arm and pulling me back behind the statue.

"Of course I can't. Joss and Theato cannot threaten him, no, because they are students enrolled at Hogwarts. But Emrys is not a student enrolled here" I flash him a grim smile, hoping that Amelia's trust in the boy is well placed as my body starts to change. The change comes without a second thought, my body changing into its other form, Joss's Gryffindor robes covering my now-awkward female outfit on my male body. "Joss, meet Emrys."

His jaw drops, green eyes blown impossibly wide. "U-um…"

I grin and hold a hand out for him to shake, brushing curls of brown hair out of my eyes. "Cat got your tongue? Or is it just my stunning looks?"

He blushes and snaps out of his daze, shaking my hand while trying to subtly look me over, curious. "No, sorry, I was just surprised. It isn't every day that people… you know, change in front you know. "

"Yes, Joss, I am like Amelia. Now, if you are done gawking, I have a child to deal with." I spin away from him, pulling my arm out of his grasp before stepping out from behind the statue. I can deal with Joss later, but for now… The boy's eyes focus on me instantly, not recognizing my male form. "Are you Kaden Diggory?" I ask softly, smiling as I approach him.

He takes in the Gryffindor robe draping my body before looking back up at me and nodding, tilting his head curiously while smiling slowly. "Yes."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaden. I am Emrys" I stop in front of him and offer him a hand to shake, which he readily accepts, the smile on his face bright and kind. "Also known at Theato."

His smile freezes in surprise, or fear, and he yanks his hand out of mine. "What do you want?"

"I want to be in bed sleeping right now, but apparently that isn't destined. Instead, I am here dealing with you" I lean down to meet his gaze directly, arching an eyebrow. "Do you know what happens to people that threaten my friends?"

He shakes his head, genuine fear in his eyes as he straightens his spine and tilts his chin up, trembling. "No, but whatever you say, I'm not scared. You have no power here."

Smirking, I lean down, pressing my lips to his ear, and draw the necklace out of my pocket, dangling it in front of his face but hiding it from Joss' view with my body. "Do you know what this is, Kaden Diggory?"

"A-a necklace?" He stutters, freezing in my grip and going completely slack with fear.

"A necklace that my father made for me" I add on, humming thoughtfully and pulling back far enough to meet his eyes. "And do you know what it does?" He shakes his head, and I smirk. "Pity. I'll just have to explain it myself. This necklace has a curse on it. A dark, powerful curse that temporarily possesses anyone other than me who touches it. It is for my protection, you see, so it makes those who are possessed attack anyone who poses a threat to me. Do you know what that means for you?" He shakes his head again, and I pout, leaning back with a wicked sneer. "Do you ever wonder how it would feel to be forced to commit suicide?"

His eyes widen in horror and he finally regains mobility, yanking himself violently away from me and stumbling back a few steps. "You-you wouldn't!"

"You have no idea what I would or would not do. I suggest that next time, before you start a fight, gather more information on your opponent," I hiss out gleefully, a dark pleasure building in my chest at the fear in the boy's eyes. "Now, run along and stop ruining my Sunday. And remember, Kaden Diggory, that if you dare think one malevolent thought about Amelia Malfoy again, I will find a way to make you 'accidentally' come in contact with my necklace." To prove a point, I slip the necklace around my neck and tuck it in under Joss' Gryffindor robes.

Kaden glares at me, bright hot hatred shining in his eyes as he shoves past me and out of the hallway, walking past Joss' hiding place without noticing the Gryffindor.

"You can come out now, Joss" I sing after making sure that the boy is gone. I slip off the Gryffindor robe and change back into Theato, groaning at the echo of pain shooting through my body.

Joss comes out from behind the statue, glancing at where the boy exited from before at me. "What did you do to him?" He asks curiously, stopping a few feet away from me, hesitant, holding out an arm for his robe.

"Nothing. I just told him a little story about my father" I answer easily, tossing him his robe and pretending that I didn't notice his slight flinch at my movement before he catches his robes, and his eyes staring at my necklace with more than a little bit of suspicion. "Now come, I will tell you all about Emrys over breakfast."

Apparently, my offer rouses a curiosity stronger than his fear because he follows me, immediately asking about how long I have been able to shift into Emrys. Which is well enough. I would rather he not focus on his newfound fear of me. If it were to grow, it might push Amelia away from me, and I won't have a boy separate us when we have so much in common. Not even Joss Potter.


	16. Chapter 12 - Amelia Malfoy

Praeterito Futurum

_Chapter 12- Amelia Malfoy_

A few weeks after the slumber party is the first Quidditch match of the season. Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff. I am so ready to beat Maria and Caelum to a pulp on the pitch.

I pull my Quidditch robes over my head, and start attempting to attach my braces by myself, when someone knocks on the door.

I look around, confused, seeing as my entire team is already here, getting ready.

I open the door a crack, and peer through.

"Caelum?" I open the door wider, revealing the yellow clad Hufflepuff. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to wish you luck, obviously. You are playing against me, after all." He smirks playfully and gestures to my brace. "Need some help?"

I look at him suspiciously. "Alright." I hold out my arm, the brace resting precariously on top of it.

Caelum deftly secures it and smiles up at me.

"You can't have come here just to help me with my gear. And to wish the opposing Seeker good luck. Why are you really here?" I walk out of the changing rooms and close the door, leaning against the wall next to it.

He sighs and leans next to me. "I… wanted to talk to you about Theato. I would have asked you at another time, but you're always with her."

I can't help but laugh. "Well, we became friends really fast. We have something big in common." I say, smiling.

Caelum coughs, arching an eyebrow and flushing. "Like being a guy?"

My smile falls from my face as I turn quickly to him. "What... What are you talking about? We are both most definitely girls. What gave you the idea we were guys?"

He looks at me, relieved. "Oh thank Merlin. I overheard you guys talking in the hospital wing, a few weeks ago and I thought I was hallucinating. You kept saying weird things. I wasn't sure, but seeing as you have no idea what I'm talking about, I bet the potions Madam Pomfrey gave me caused it."

I make a face and nod. "I hate healing potions."

He laughs and nods. "And they haven't gotten any better since my time. You would think she would make them taste better, with the amount of students that injure themselves in one school year."

"I think she hasn't because she doesn't want kids hurting themselves just to get a yummy tasting healing potion." I nudge him with my elbow.

"Hasn't stopped you."

"Well you know, it's the Weasley blood in me that makes getting into trouble unavoidable." I say, sliding down into a sitting position.

Caelum laughs, sitting next to me before turning a little more serious. "So about Theato. What's she like when she's not trying to be scary and tough?"

The sleepover flashes through my mind. Thea and her childish glee at finding out we were going to be eating chocolate. Her laughter while being tickled by Jackson. Her and Malcolm's extreme grumpiness in the morning.

"I'm not entirely sure I can tell you that, Longbottom. You'd have to ask Thea." I grin at him before standing up and holding out my hand. "Come on, you've got to go so I can beat you at Quidditch."

He shakes his head, but takes my hand and I pull him up. "You wish you could beat me, Malfoy." He grins at me as we hear someone calling my name. We look up to see Joss running towards us.

"Amelia. Hey. One second." He bends down and puts his hands on his knees, catching his breath.

"Hey Joss. How far did you run?"

"Just- just from the castle." He gasps out. I roll my eyes and pat his back. Seriously, he needs to learn that running any short of distance with asthma is not a good idea. I pull my wand from the pocket in my robes and wave it over her, murmuring a spell. He takes a deep breath and straightens up, smiling at me. "Thanks, Lia."

"No big. So why aren't you in the stands?" I question the green-eyed boy in front of me.

He shares a look with Caelum and I have no idea what it means. Which is strange because I know everything about Joss. "Just... Be careful out there, okay? I don't want you getting hurt."

I blush slightly at the concern in his eyes and nod. "I never try to get hurt. It just happens."

He chuckles and leans forward, planting a kiss on my cheek. My face turns bright red as he yells "Good luck!" over his shoulder as he heads to his seat.

I splutter incoherently after him, and Caelum waves a hand in front of my face.

"Amelia. The match starts in five minutes."

"Oh!" I turn and grab the door handle and start to open the door to give my team a pep talk, before turning to Caelum. "Good luck out there." I smile at him.

"You too, Malfoy."

I grin and walk into the changing rooms, the door slamming shut behind me.

The entire team turns to look at me as I stride towards the center of the room, looking at all of them.

"Okay you guys. This is it. First game of the season. We've been training hard, and we are ready. This is Hufflepuff we are playing. Now they may seem nice in the halls, but put them on a broom and they get vicious. They may not play as dirty as Slytherin, but be on guard. We are going to win this match. We have three amazing chasers, two awesome beaters, and a keeper that will never let anything past our posts. You are the greatest team Ravenclaw has ever seen. Now let's get out there and act like it."

My team cheers around me and line up, brooms on shoulders, to walk on the pitch. I walk to the front of the line, take a deep breath and walk on to the pitch.

Conditions are almost ideal. It's cloudy, so the sun won't catch you off guard, but not raining. It's slightly windy, which could affect Claire's signature curve on the Quaffle. But, it's not that bad.

We walk to the center of the pitch where the Hufflepuffs are waiting.

"Shake hands." Madam Hooch orders the captains.

I look at Maria and grin, holding out my hand. She smirks at me and clasps it, squeezing as hard as she can, before pulling back and bumping fists.

We back up and mount our brooms.

"On three. One, two, three!" On three Madam Hooch kicked open the case holding the bludgers letting them free and threw the Quaffle in the air.

I kick off and start to circle the pitch, looking for my little gold prize.

"Look out!" I turn and duck just in time as a bludger comes racing towards me. I turn and fly quickly in the opposite direction, hoping to lose that Beater.

"Amelia!" One of my Beaters, Kat, calls out. "It's the same one!"

A bludger comes up and grazes my knee. I cry out, and swerve away as Kat smacks the bludger towards a Hufflepuff chaser. It arcs, missing the chaser and coming back straight towards me.

"Both of them! Amelia, fly!"

I look behind me to see the other bludger racing straight towards me as well.

I force my broom toward the ground and plunge into a dive. I weave and bob, trying to make myself harder to hit. I pull up as the ground nears, and shoot up.

I barely get thirty feet before a bludger slams into my back and the other into the front of my left shoulder.

I'm lifted from my broom from the force, and fall backward to the ground.

I gain momentum as I fall, and slam into the ground, hitting my head and hearing something crack.

I hear a Theato's voice scream my name from the stands, and then nothing.

The first thing I register is the pain. It's all over. In my body, in my head. Merlin, what happened to me?

The next thing that penetrates my haze filled mind are voices. Two of them. Talking in low tones, as if trying not to be overheard.

I shift my body and groan in pain. The voices stop and the people can be heard walking over to either side of my bed.

One takes my hand and the other pushes my hair off my face.

"Amelia?" Theato's voice. My eyes flutter open slowly, looking at the girl bending over me.

"Thea. What's going on?" I mumble.

"That's what we want to know." Joss' voice, on the side of me that my hand is being held.

I turn my head slowly to look at him. "What do you mean?"

His brow furrows and his eyes are worried. "We only saw you fall. We didn't see why."

"Amelia, what happened out there?" Thea demands softly, though her eyes are hard.

I bring my hands to my face and rub my eyes. "I dove to get away from the bludgers. No one was hitting them, but they were chasing me. And then they both hit me, and I fell. The last thing I remember is you screaming, Thea."

Theato suddenly goes really pale and turns on her heel and stalks out of the hospital wing.

"Thea! Where are you going?" I call after her, but she ignores me.

I turn to Joss.

"What was that about?" I ask, but he ignores me too, walking over to Madam Pomfreys office.

"She's awake."

Madam Pomfrey bustles over and makes me drink at least five different potions that all make me start to fall asleep again.

Right before my eyes close completely, Joss leans over and whispers "I'm sorry we can't tell you more yet. You'll know soon though, I promise. I can't believe he actually did it. It's been weeks without an incident after the talk Thea had with him…" Before pressing a kiss to my forehead, and I'm asleep.

Again.


	17. Chapter 13 - Theato Riddle

Praeterito Futurum

_Chapter 13 – Theato/ Emrys Riddle_

I stalk down the halls, robes billowing behind me. The anger in the whip in the fabric, biting at my heels, reflects my exact mood. Anger. Hatred. Rage. How dare he? How dare Kaden Diggory curse Amelia! After I warned him, after I let him off easy, and he still went after her! The little Hufflepuff has some nerve, I will give him that, but he will not have them for long. Not when he touches my necklace. No, then he'll be begging me to let him go, begging me for forgiveness. I can't wait.

Not caring about the other students mulling around, unaware of the horrendous crime that the boy has committed, I skid to a stop at the top of the stairs and look at the crowd below, searching for the messy brown hair and Hufflepuff robes. I find him next to Caelum, talking to the worried looking seeker with vivid hand motions. I take a few steps down the stairs and scream his name as loud as I can. "Kaden Diggory!"

The boy spins around, eyes wide in fear. As soon as he sees me, he bolts, ducking under Caelum's arm, shoving people out of his way and racing down the hall, towards the Hufflepuff dorms.

"Move!" I snarl, shoving students out of my way. I take the stairs two at a time, cursing as students stumble trying to get out of my way, not moving nearly fast enough. Giving up, I wave a hand, sending students skidding out of the way and leaving a clear path for me to chase Kaden down. I dodge Caelum's arm when he reaches for me, focusing solely on the yellow blur turning left into the next corridor. I slow down and take the corner, in control. "It doesn't matter where you hide, Diggory, I will catch you!"

He skids to a stop in front of a wall and glances back at me, shaking, before pacing three times quickly and slipping into the Room of Requirements. Ha! As if that will protect him from me!

I slow to a walk, satisfaction coursing through my veins. Pointing a hand at the door at it swings shut behind the Hufflepuff, I mutter something, watching as the door slows its close. Taking my time, I walk to the door and catch my breath, slipping in and straightening my robes.

"Well now, little boy, what trouble did you get yourself into?" I hiss, pulling the door shut behind myself and allowing a slow, psychotic smile to slip onto my lips. Pulling my necklace away from my skin, I snatch his arm and dangle it in front of his face, mere centimeters away from him. Ignore his struggles and attempts to lean away, I bring it closer, watching as his breath catches and his eyes go impossibly wider, his skin paling with the panic coursing through him. He is terrified of me. Perfect.

Kaden's wand clatters to the floor as he jerks violently against my hold. "Th-Theato."

"Didn't I tell you what would happen if you hurt Amelia?" I ask sweetly, pressing the ring hanging from my necklace between two fingers before holding it up to his eye level. "Where you really so eager to figure out how involuntary suicide feels that you hurt Amelia?"

He swallows, paralyzed with fear as he stares at the ring. "I-"

"And yet you decided to take your emotions out on Amelia?" I ask slowly, staring down at him, face void of emotion. I drop the necklace back down to rest against my skin. Something gnaws at my stomach, guilt at the plain fear in his eyes, at the tears building up, the whiteness of his skin, the red marks where my fingers press into his wrist. How much like my father I am now, how much like the version of my mother that Caelum's father knew.

He nods, a barely noticeable shake of his head, and glances up at me. Panic shines bright in his eyes, mixed with guilt and sorrow. "I-I didn't think I could hurt you, but she was an easy target."

"So you attacked her like a coward? You could have used a curse on me, but you chose her because she was an easier target? And through all of that, you didn't even bother checking to see if I am as bad as my father was." Kaden's face drops, whatever relief he had from me pulling the necklace back breaking down under the force of his regret. He needs this. He needs the tough love, he needs to be hardened to the world. To learn the right way to do things.

His shoulders shake with his sobs, tears dripping to the bloody floor as his fists clench at his sides, blood dripping from them. He takes a step back, trembling, his magic building around him, sending warmth arcing through my veins. My heart cracks, painfully, shattering something inside of me. Images of my mother, driven crazy by my absence, torturing people flashes through my mind. Memories of my father torturing his followers when they didn't perform their duties right. I can't do it. I can't.

"I'm sorry, Kaden. You know I didn't mean it" I whisper, voice cracking as I drop to my knees next to the boy, wrapping my arms around him. He jerks, feebly trying to free himself, hands coming up to push against my chest, but I hug him tighter and run a hand through his curly black hair. "I won't hurt you, ever. I promise. As long as you don't hurt my friends, I'll protect you."

"I didn't even think to see if you were like him! I didn't even try!" he wails softly, voice echoing off the walls.

"Shh, it's ok. You did what you did, and Amelia lived. That's all that matters now." My soothing tone calms him down enough to stop his struggles. He sniffles and looks up at me, eyes lined with tearstains. "You aren't alone, I'm here. I'll protect you from now on. You don't ever have to worry about me being like my father."

"I'm sorry" he whispers, the faintest traces of fear still in his eyes as he pulls out of my arms, leaning down to pick up his wand and avoiding eye contact. "Is… is Amelia?"

"She's recovering in the hospital wing right now" I answer, slowly standing back up, all traces of my anger gone as I look down at the broken boy. His fear drove him to hate me, to attack Amelia in an attempt to hurt me. "You should go apologize to her. She did not deserve to be beaten with bludgers on my account." He nods and slips around me, eyes on the ground. "Oh, and Kaden?"

"Yes?" He asks, turning back to look up at me, flinching when he meets my gaze.

I offer him a tentative smile, trying to get rid of that last trace of fear. "That was a nice curse you used."

"Thanks." He smiles shyly before pushing the door open and walking out, shoulders sagging.

I can't believe that someone like him, so innocent and pure and kind, would have cursed Amelia to get to me. My father must have done something terrible to his family to make him so scared of me without even getting to know me. He killed a family member, I think Joss said. Do I look like I would go around murdering families for fun? Yes, I am a bit intimidating, granted, but he had no reason be fear me. I didn't even know he existed until he cursed Amelia's bag. It's just… frustrating.

"Stupid boy" I mutter, straightening my robes again before following him out of the room and into the corridor. I turn back just in time to see the room's door disappear into the wall, erasing all traces of our meeting. Shaking my head, I start in the opposite direction of Kaden, towards the kitchens. I am going to need some strong tea if I want to get through the rest of the day.

"Thea?" The soft voice of the Hufflepuff Seeker calls out.

"You Hufflepuffs just can't leave me alone today" I joke tiredly, not bothering to turn around but pausing so that he can catch up. "What do you want, Caelum?"

"I passed Kaden Diggory in the corridor a moment ago" Caelum says when he comes up on my left, falling in step with me. He glances at me curiously, something soft in his gaze as he arches an eyebrow. "He said you let him go, even after what he did."

I rub a hand across my forehead, trying hard not to be annoyed. "The boy tried to kill Amelia and I let him go with nothing other than a bruised wrist. How is that good?"

"That would be called Mercy, Theato. It isn't always a bad thing" he answers softly, catching my wrist and pulling us to a stop before glancing down the hall and leading me into a nearby corridor. Shadows play across his face as he leans forward, eager. "It gives people the chance to change and make up for what they did."

"Look Caelum, I've been through a lot today" I start, spinning to face him and narrowing my eyes. Crossing my arms across my chest, I cock my hip to the side. "If you want to speak in riddles, then I would encourage you to do it somewhere far away from me."

He smiles softly, not fazed at all by my annoyance. "Do you know that I asked Amelia about you today? Before the match."

Shock makes the snappy comment on the tip of my tongue freeze. He asked Amelia about me. He asked Amelia. About me. Why? What…? I open my mouth, trying to find the right words, the right question, but unable to. Caelum's amusement finally snaps me out of my daze. "And why would you do that?"

"Because you are always cold whenever I am around. I heard you talking to Amelia when I was in the hospital wing. I know how you feel" he whispers, smiling shyly at me before pressing his lips against mine and kissing me softly, with the most love that I've ever felt in a kiss. "You don't have to be scared of me. You don't have to worry about whatever that Emrys boy will do. I want to know you better."

My body responds without my permission, leaning into his as he wraps his arms around my waist, drawing me into his warmth. My lips move with his, softly, so softly, making me want to cry. Against all of my judgement, I push at his chest gently, leaning back enough to speak. Knowing he's looking at me curiously, I shake my head and keep my eyes lowered to focus on his lips. "Caelum, it isn't that simple."

"Make it that simple" he answers, leaning back down before I can answer and brushing his nose against mine in affection.

"No, Caelum, please-" I beg, trying to push him further away. I can't think rationally with him this close.

"Is it Emrys? I remember you saying you were scared of his reaction to your emotions, but what say does he have in what you choose to do?" Caelum demands, arching an eyebrow. Emotions tear me apart from the inside, confliction, and seeing it, he smiles again, so full of faith and it hurts me, breaks all my resolutions, and forces the tears to my eyes. "He'll just have to deal with it." He kisses me again, pulling me impossibly closer, pouring all of his longing into the kiss. Longing to know me better. Longing to be accepted. Longing for me. I can't do it anymore. I can't stand it.

"Caelum, I am Emrys" I whisper against his lips, closing my eyes and pressing back my tears, tears of fear as he pulls away to ask what I mean. I can feel his stare as my body slowly changes in his arms, an echo of pain thrumming through my body as it readjusts before settling down again, as Emrys.

"Y-you can't…" he stutters, arms dropping from around my waist, which is now slightly less feminine. I've always had feminine hips though, no matter what form I am in. He stares me, not understanding, eyes wide as he takes a step back. "I don't…"

"I know, it's… hard to believe. It shouldn't be possible for someone to transfigure themselves into the opposite gender, and it is impossible. I'm not transfiguring myself, Caelum. I am Emrys, and Emrys is me." I whisper, feeling the tear as one drips past my eyelashes, tracing a path down my cheek. Taking another step back, I bump into the wall and lean back against it, grateful for the support as Caelum keeps looking at me with that damned distrustful look. "It's how I was born. I don't know how it works, or even if there is a difference between Theato and Emrys, but it's how I have always been. Do you understand?"

He shakes his head, looking at me closer, taking a hesitant step towards me, taking in my transformation. "But… Emrys…"

"Emrys cornered you in a hallway when you were chasing me, after I mysteriously managed to vanish, and he harassed you and kissed you in an attempt to scare you off my tail." The tears fall faster, staining my robes as I look down at my feet, unable to take his disbelieving stare anymore. I force the rest of the words out, past the lump in my throat, through the tears. "I thought it was because I hated you, but it was because I was scared. I liked you too much, and Emrys was scared that I would get too close to you if you found me emotionally unstable, and that you'd hurt me when you found out… this…" I wave vaguely at my body, pushing strands of curly hair off my forehead before wiping at my cheeks futilely, more tears taking the place of the dried ones. "

Caelum takes another step towards me, pulling his sleeve down before reaching towards me. I flinch, and he hesitates before wiping at the tears sliding down my cheeks. "I'm not really into guys-"

I bark out laughter in surprise, feeling my heart tear its way out of my chest. "That's all you have to say? That you don't want me anymore now that you know that I am a guy half of the time?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Theato-" He starts, but I cut him off, glaring.

"It's Emrys" I snap, defensive, leaning my head back against the stone behind me in an attempt to distance myself from his hand.

Caelum's eyes flash with something but he nods, biting his bottom lip. "Sorry… Emrys. I didn't mean what I said in that way."

"Well, then how did you mean it?" More and more of my heart falls apart at the kindness in his eyes, the gentle softness, like he's talking to a wild animal. He's probably disgusted that he kissed someone like me moments ago, and yet he's still trying to calm me down. I wish he would just leave. It would be easier for me to deal with.

"I meant that I've never been in a relationship with another boy before. I've never really thought of them in that way," he explains softly, leaning towards me slowly, as if scared that he will scare me off. I can see that he's uncomfortable, out of his usual zone, but he presses on. "But you aren't exactly a normal guy."

Hope rises in my chest, consuming the pain and the darkness, rearing its head and racing my blood until my cheeks are a soft rosy colour. "Wh-what?"

"It… it'll take me a bit of getting used to, but if Emrys is Theato, then you are still the same person. I still care about you, Emrys." He doesn't give me time to answer. He leans down and kisses me, just like he did Theato, with love and kindness and absolute acceptance, and threads his arms around my waist, pulling my body flush against himself.

The tears fall from my eyes again, free and painful as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back, trying to force my love into him, to show him just how much I want him. Just how much I love him.


	18. Chapter 14 - Amelia Malfoy

_Praeterito Futurum_

_Chapter 14 – Amelia Malfoy_

"Amelia, can you tell me exactly what happened?" The dark haired Auror questions me.

I sigh heavily, leaning back against the pillows that are propping me up. "You know, I'm getting really tired of answering that question. Why don't you ask one of the other ten people I've recited the story to? Like maybe your grandson, who just so happens to be sitting right here!" I gesture to Joss, who is sitting in a chair beside my bed, laughing to himself.

Harry Potter turns to him expectantly.

"What?" Joss looks at his grandfather, confused. "Okay, fine. She was flying on her broom and a bludger flew at her. Not unusual, she is the Seeker. But then she flew away, and it followed her. And then both bludgers started doing it and then she dove and they followed her without even being hit and-"

"Amelia! Amelia, I'm really sorry." A voice cuts through Joss'. I look over to see Kaden Diggory standing in the doorway, robes dishevelled, eyes puffy and red from crying. He looks positively miserable, completely upset, and dejected.

Joss stands abruptly, his chair scraping the ground. "What do you want, Diggory?" He growls harshly, standing in front of me, blocking my view.

"What are you sorry about, Kaden?" I question the Hufflepuff, leaning around Joss to see the trembling boy.

The boy opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by a sharp gasp.

We all turn towards the noise to see a tear streaming down the Auror's face, a look of absolute shock on him. He pales, like he's seen a ghost.

"Mr. Potter? Are you okay?" I ask.

His eyes are locked on Kaden, and the kid shifts uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. I was just... caught off guard," he answers shakily, pressing his lips together.

Joss nods understandingly, but I'm still confused. Kaden looks equally as lost, and a little frightened that Harry Potter is crying at him.

"Okay. So, why are you here, Kaden?" I ask the dark haired fourth year. He tears his eyes away from the crying Auror and looks at me.

"I'm really sorry for cursing your broom. I was angry, and scared, and wasn't thinking straight. I won't do it again, I promise." The words rush out of his mouth quickly, and he drops his gaze, rubbing his wrist, which is covered in a red bruise looking suspiciously like a hand.

Joss clears his throat. "Is there anything else you'd like to apologize for, Kaden?"

The boy looks sheepishly up at Joss, who is glaring at him. "I'm sorry I cursed your bag. I'm really glad it didn't hurt you." Kaden smiles shakily before exiting the hospital wing.

"Wait. He cursed my bag? Like, with an actual curse curse? Theato and Malcolm said it was a joke charm. I knew they were lying. I'd never seen a joke charm react like that when taken off."

"Yeah, well. That kid is good with curses, it's kind of scary." Joss is still glaring at the doorway, like he's expecting Kaden to come in and shoot a curse at me. I roll my eyes and turn to his grandfather.

"Mr. Potter." He looks up, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his robes. "Why did you cry when you saw Kaden? It was kind of strange."

Joss elbows me. "What?" I look at him strangely.

"It's okay. Young Kaden there looks almost identical to an old friend of mine. Cedric Diggory. Cedric and I were close, and he died in my fourth year. He was… killed protecting me from Voldemort. That's why I was crying, Amelia. Because he reminded me of someone I haven't thought about in a long time." Harry smiles sadly at me, and walks over, patting Joss on the shoulder. "It seems my work is done here. I'm going to see how Neville is holding up, with a younger version of Caelum running around the school again... Have fun you two." He smiles at his grandson and strides out of the hospital wing.

Joss coughs and looks down at me.

"Hey." I say softly.

He chuckles quietly. "Hey."

I pat the bed and scoot over a little, making room. He glances nervously at Madam Pomfrey's office, before toeing off his sneakers and sliding his legs under my blanket next to me.

I smile and lean my head on his shoulder, taking his hand under the sheet.

"It seems like you are always in the hospital, Amelia. Why are you so attracted to trouble?" Joss sighs, leaning his head against mine.

I giggle. "I can't help it. I'm attracted to you too, aren't I?" The words are out before I can stop them, and Joss turns to look at me. I can feel my face heat up as I avoid his stare.

I wish he would just turn the other way, and stop looking at me.

Joss' hand goes under my chin, turning my head towards his. His green eyes alight with something strange. He leans in and his eyes close. I bring my hand up to the back of his neck and thread my fingers in his hair.

And then he's kissing me. Joss Potter is kissing me. His hand slides up to rest on my cheek, and he smiles against my lips.


End file.
